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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after coming back from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three separate head injuries during a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to address bleeding on the brain left Katoa in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The team announced 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 top concern,” stated the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “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 making daily progress and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.

Importantly, the CEO stated that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“In consultation with our doctor and neuro specialists, Katoa will not return to training during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its investigation into the events that led to Katoa’s surgery.

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

However, Katoa was cleared to participate in the game and suffered two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent years, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.