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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, following returning from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a Pacific Championship match against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to address bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa hospitalized and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The team announced this week that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” said the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

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

However, the executive stated that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to practice this pre-season and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will support him fully and assist him during his recovery.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the events that led to the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine for the international contest.

However, he was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two more head impacts before being substituted in the second half.

His state worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the game in recent years, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.