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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship fixture versus New Zealand. This led to seizures while on the sideline, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to relieve a brain bleed resulted in Katoa hospitalized and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The club announced recently that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” stated the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him back home and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to practice during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a much loved and respected member of our team and club, and that the entire club will support him fully and assist him during his recovery.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its inquiry into the events that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a head injury during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, Katoa 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 deteriorated quickly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent years, implementing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.