Kato Ottio

Benkato "Kato" Ottio

Before playing rugby league, Ottio played volleyball and was a member of PNG's squad at the 2013 Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna, which won gold, and Amoa NCD's team at the 2014 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship in the Philippines. Ottio then took up rugby league exclusively, playing at an amateur level for the Dobo Warriors. the New South Wales Rugby League's leading tryscorer in 2016. Ottio was not considered for PNG's May 2017 match against the Cook Islands as he had recently returned from a long-term injury. In October 2017, Ottio was named in PNG's squad for the 2017 World Cup.

Widnes Vikings In December 2017, Ottio signed with the Widnes Vikings who play in the Super League.

International caps Ottio won six caps for the national side, known as the Kumuls. His debut was in May 2015 against Fiji at the Robina Stadium, Gold Coast. A second cap, also against Fiji came a year later and Ottio scored his debut international try at the Parramatta Stadium in Sydney. Selected for the Kumuls squad for the 2017 World Cup, he played in all three of the team's group games played in Port Moresby and scored a try in the game against Wales. His final international match was the quarter-final defeat by England at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. He had been due to travel to the United Kingdom to join the Widnes Vikings squad for pre-season training on 11 January. Ottio's funeral was held on 12 January at Sir John Guise Indoor Complex, and was attended by the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O'Neill.