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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, following returning from a prolonged stay in New Zealand after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts in a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a international match versus New Zealand. This led to convulsions while on the sideline, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa in the hospital and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The club 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 remain our top concern,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the supervision of our club doctor and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player is improving each day and is eager to pursuing his recovery from home.

However, the executive confirmed that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our doctor and neurology experts, Eli won't be back to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “He has a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the entire club will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its inquiry into the events that resulted in Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

However, he was cleared to participate in the game and endured two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the second half.

His state worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.