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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after coming back from a prolonged stay in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts in a single match while representing Tonga in a international match against the Kiwis. This led to seizures while on the sideline, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The club revealed recently that the forward has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the supervision of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player is making daily progress and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

However, the CEO stated that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness before considering a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and club, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The NRL is currently finalizing its inquiry into the circumstances that resulted in Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the game and suffered two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.