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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after returning from a prolonged stay in New Zealand after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old suffered three head impacts during a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture versus the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A medical operation to address a brain bleed left Katoa hospitalized and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The team announced recently that Katoa has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the care of our medical staff and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski noted that the athlete is making daily progress and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

Importantly, the executive confirmed that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our medical team and neurology experts, Eli will not return to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has 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 noting that Eli is a much loved and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

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

The powerful forward, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

However, he was allowed to play in the game and endured two more head impacts before being substituted in the later stages.

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

The league has attempted to address concerns around head injuries in the game in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.