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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after coming back from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old suffered three head impacts during a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. This led to seizures while off the field, necessitating urgent medical care.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa in the hospital and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The team announced recently that Katoa has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our number one priority,” said Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the supervision 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 stated that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“In consultation with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “There is a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return 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 assist him during his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

The NRL is wrapping up its inquiry into the circumstances that led to the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was selected for 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.

Despite this, he was cleared to participate in the game and endured two additional blows to the head before coming off in the later stages.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a medicab.

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