Dolphins breakout winger Jamayne Isaako has confirmed his long-term future, signing a three-year extension with the club.
The move to lock up his long-term future means the recalled New Zealand Kiwis winger will be with the Dolphins until at least the end of 2026.
Linking up with Wayne Bennett who he has worked with previously at the Broncos, Isaako was expected to be in for a tough time just to play first-grade at the Dolphins during the club's inaugural season, but quickly turned into one of the 17th NRL team's most important players.
Playing in all 24 games throughout the season, Isaako completed a rare double feat to be named the NRL's top point-scorer and try-scorer in the first year. He is the first player since Mal Meninga to do so.
Those tallies saw him end with 24 tries and 73 goals, but his effort elsewhere was outstanding, making 104 tackle breaks, 30 line breaks and running for 166 metres per game.
Coach Bennett spoke at length throughout the season on Isaako's potential, which it appeared he was never going to reach. After a breakout rookie season at the Broncos in 2018, second year blues hit badly for Isaako, who, from 2020 to the end of 2022 played just 40 NRL games, with 11 of them coming at the Gold Coast Titans after he was released from the Broncos in mid-2022.
Club CEO Terry Reader said Isaako's contract extension was a 'fitting reward.'
“Jamayne could simply have not played any better in 2023,” Reader said in a statement.
“To become the first person in 33 years to be the NRL's top try scorer and point scorer in the same year was an outstanding effort.
“And to do that in a team that finished outside of the top eight makes it an even greater achievement – when Mal Meninga did it in 1990, his team won the grand final.
“The dedication and drive Jamayne has showed this year to be the best he can has turned him into an elite player in the competition.
“So extending his contract to ensure he is a Dolphin for at least another three years was an easy decision for the club to make.”
The move means the Dolphins are now beginning to build their long-term plan, with recruits Oryn Keeley, Jake Averillo, Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler joining Tom Gilbert and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow as players who are all locked in for at least the next three years.
