The Dolphins have unearthed a future star in 19-year-old Isaiya Katoa, and despite playing just two NRL games in his career, there's already fighting over where the five-eighth will play his representative football.

The NRL's newest franchise signed Katoa on his 18th birthday last year, forcing Penrith to drop him from their NSW Cup side for the remainder of the season, however it hasn't stunted the half's development.

The teenager toured England as a member of Tonga's World Cup squad late last year, having to complete his HSC tests during the six-week trip before facing Samoa in the quarter-finals.

While Anthony Milford's Samoan side ended his World Cup campaign, Katoa may have the last laugh after keeping his Dolphins' team-mate in reserve grade for the club's inaugural matches.

However, whilst he represented Tonga at the World Cup, there's a lot more to his representative future.

The Sydney Morning Heraldย have revealed that there's already interest from both NSWRL and the Kiwis for the teenager's future, and it's looking like he'll have to make a call this season.

Katoa was born in Wellington, New Zealand and remained across the ditch until he moved to Sydney at 9-years-old, and moved into the Penrith system as he grew older.

It leaves him eligible for both New Zealand and the NSW Blues, and putting a tough decision into his hands so early on in his career.

The upside to picking New South Wales is that Katoa wouldn't then be forced to play for Australia. Due to Tonga not being considered a tier one nation, Isaiya is free to play State of Origin whilst continuing to play for Tonga.

Daniel Tupou played alongside Katoa at the World Cup despite playing for the Blues, while a host of Samoa's squad featured in the series midway through 2022.

Paid just $200,000 per season, monster money for a teenager but peanuts for a starting half in the NRL, Katoa's double-pump set up Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's match-winner on the weekend, and both the Kiwis and the Blues are hopeful he'll do the same in their jersey.