Macdonald to play for Kato this NRL season
FOR Nene Macdonald, it was the perfect way to farewell his good mate, Kato Ottio.
Macdonald thought he’d spend the next 40 years with Ottio, with whom he forged a close friendship while playing for Papua New Guinea.
The pair were also set to play together at St George Illawarra this season until Ottio opted to knock back a deal to represent PNG at last year’s World Cup.
Ottio passed away after col- MELBOURNE’s welfare staff are rallying around Cameron Munster as the Storm yesterday declared the Queensland Origin star would not be released. It’s understood Munster is receiving in-house professional help as Storm powerbrokers do everything possible to ensure the 23-year-old delivers on his promise this season. Speculation sweeping rugby league circles yesterday suggested Munster (left) could be cut adrift by the Storm over disciplinary issues, but Melbourne hierarchy are standing by the Kangaroos ace. Munster is offcontract at the end of 2019 and the Storm are taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether to offer the Maroons five-eighth a multimillion-dollar contract extension. Storm football-operations chief lapsing from heatstroke during a pre-season road run in Port Moresby in January.
It’s why the Cairns Brothers junior thought it was fitting he gave Ottio’s mother, Joyce, a signed Dragons jersey at his funeral last month.
“It was really tough – she just broke down and gave me a hug,” Macdonald recalls.
“But just I wanted to be there for Kato’s mum. I haven’t known her for that long, but she is like an aunty to me and I wanted to help out.”
A month later, Macdonald’s support for Ottio’s family hasn’t stopped. With the help of his PNG teammates, the Dragons centre is determined to fulfil Kato’s lifelong goal of building his mother a home.
“That’s what Kato was aiming for,” he said. “He sacrificed leaving PNG to chase his dream in the NRL and he always looked after his mum.
“Losing Kato so young and talented was devastating, so we want to help his family in any way we can.”
Macdonald says the PNG Kumuls national side have used Ottio’s death to become closer as a team.
He says this unity was on display at the funeral – where the team and the entire country came together to honour one of their own.
“It was really tough at the funeral, but it was important to see everyone,” he said.
“I’ve become really tight with the PNG boys – it’s a brotherhood and when you go into camp everyone is close and respectful of each other.”
Macdonald will dedicate the season to Ottio’s memory.