Dolphins assistant coach Kristian Woolf insists 19-year-old playmaker Isaiya Katoa is ready to make his NRL debut as key recruit Anthony Milford's selection for the round-one NRL clash with the Sydney Roosters remains in doubt.
Katoa trained at five-eighth alongside half Sean O'Sullivan with the main squad at Friday's training session in Redcliffe.
Samoa international Milford trained with the seconds team for a short time before doing his own training drills, as Woolf said he sustained an upper body knock in the 40-16 trial loss to Gold Coast and was unable to engage in contact.
AAP has been told that skipper Jesse Bromwich, utility Kodi Nikorima and prop JJ Collins also did not complete the session as they also have niggles.
Milford was below his best in the trial game while Tonga international Katoa, formerly with Penrith, impressed when he came on and set up a try with an early touch to stake his claim to start at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday week.
"Milf' wasn't able to do contact. He just copped a knock in the trial to the upper body," Woolf told AAP at the Nine Network's Wide World of Sports' NRL launch in Brisbane.
"Only the blokes that were able to did opposed because it was a heavy session.
"Obviously Wayne (Bennett) is going to make that (selection) decision. We are going to have a chat about that on Monday."
Woolf is also the Tonga national coach and gave Katoa his international debut at last year's World Cup.
"From what we have seen, whenever he gets picked, we think he will be ready to go," Woolf said.
"Isaiya has been great. Obviously I picked him for Tonga so I like him as a player and what he brings also as a person.
"He is really level headed. He has got an exceptional skill set and any time you put him on the field and give him something (to do) he works really hard to improve and put it into place.
"We are really happy with him but that doesn't mean he is going to play round one. He is certainly going to play first grade at some stage and we see him as a first-grader long term."
The Dolphins believe Milford, with 206 NRL games under his belt, can still work on his game.
"He knows defence is an area he has to improve and he has worked really hard on his defence," Woolf said.
The expansion club were poor in their final trial but Woolf said it was "far from panic".
"I've been involved in plenty of trials where you don't play well, but then do play well in round one," Woolf added.
"I've also been involved in plenty of trials where you do play well, but don't play well in round one.
"We know we have got to be a lot better and we do take things out of that (Titans) trial but I wouldn't look into that too much."
