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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 coming back from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a international fixture versus New Zealand. This led to convulsions while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to address a brain bleed left the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club announced this week that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the athlete is improving each day and is eager to pursuing his recovery in a home environment.

Importantly, 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, Eli won't be back to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness before considering any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by noting that Katoa is a much loved and respected member of our team and organization, 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 circumstances that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for 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 Pacific Championship match.

However, he was allowed to play in the game and suffered two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the later stages.

His state worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle concerns around concussions in the sport in recent years, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.