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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, following coming back from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

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

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain left the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The team revealed recently that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” said the club's chief executive a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

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

However, the executive stated that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to practice this pre-season and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will support him fully and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its inquiry 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 recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

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

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

The league has attempted to address issues around concussions in the game in recent years, introducing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.