🔗 Share this article

Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after returning from a extended period in New Zealand where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts during a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain left the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The club revealed recently that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our top concern,” said the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the player is improving each day and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

However, the executive stated that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “He has a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski finished by noting that Katoa is a much loved and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and assist him during his recovery.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its inquiry into the circumstances that led to Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a concussion during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, he was allowed to play in the match and endured two more head impacts before coming off in the later stages.

His state worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the game in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.