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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after coming back from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries in a single match while playing for Tonga in a international fixture versus the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while off the field, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa hospitalized and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The club revealed this week 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 are our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our club doctor and specialist physicians.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

Importantly, the CEO 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 will not return to training during the preseason and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on returning to full health before considering a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected member of our team and club, and that the entire club will support him fully and support him through his recovery.

Broader Context

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

The talented player, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two more head impacts before being substituted in the later stages.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a stretcher.

The NRL has sought to tackle concerns around concussions in the game in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for affected players.