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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after returning from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three separate head injuries during a single match while playing for the Tongan national team in a international match against the Kiwis. This led to seizures while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to relieve bleeding on the brain left Katoa hospitalized and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The team announced 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 remain our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the player is making daily progress and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.

However, the CEO confirmed that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Eli will not return to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and club, 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 events that led to Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a concussion during the pregame routine for the international contest.

Despite this, he was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.