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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, following coming back 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 fixture versus the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while off the field, requiring urgent medical care.

A medical operation to relieve a brain bleed resulted in Katoa in the hospital and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The team revealed recently that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“His health and recovery are our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player is improving each day and is eager to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

Importantly, the executive stated that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the circumstances that led to the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was named in the league's best lineup at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, he was cleared to participate in the match and endured two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the later stages.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a stretcher.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent years, implementing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.