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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, after returning from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a Pacific Championship fixture versus the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while off the field, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The team announced recently that Katoa has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

However, the executive confirmed that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Katoa is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

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

The powerful forward, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, Katoa was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he required oxygen on the sideline 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 crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.