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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following returning from a extended period in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three head impacts during a single match while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. This led to seizures while off the field, necessitating urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to address bleeding on the brain resulted in the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The team revealed this week that Katoa has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

Importantly, the executive stated that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and club, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his recovery.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the circumstances that led to the required neurosurgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a head injury during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, Katoa was allowed to play in the game and endured two additional blows to the head before coming off in the later stages.

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

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, implementing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.