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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after returning from a prolonged stay in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while playing for the Tongan national team in a international match versus New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club announced this week that Katoa 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 top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the care 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 in a home environment.

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

“In consultation with our doctor and neuro specialists, Eli will not return to practice this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead in his recovery, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a much loved 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 led to the required neurosurgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a head injury during the pregame routine for the international contest.

However, he was allowed to play in the game and suffered two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.

Katoa’s condition deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.