🔗 Share this article

The Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after coming back from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries during a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a international fixture against the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to address a brain bleed resulted in the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

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

“His health and recovery remain our number one priority,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “It is great to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

However, the CEO 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 will not return to training during the preseason and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “He has a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return to rugby league activities.”

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

League Investigation

The NRL is currently finalizing its investigation 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 recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a head injury during the pregame routine for the international contest.

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

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

The NRL has sought to tackle concerns around concussions in the game in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.