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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, following coming back from a prolonged stay in Auckland where he underwent 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 match against the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to address a brain bleed left the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The team revealed recently that Katoa has now come back and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” said Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski noted that the player is making daily progress and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

Importantly, the CEO 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 practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead in his recovery, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will support him fully and assist him during his recovery.

League Investigation

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

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

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

His state worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle concerns around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.