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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, following returning from a extended period in New Zealand where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts during a single afternoon while playing for the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship match against New Zealand. This led to seizures while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to address a brain bleed resulted in the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The team announced recently that Katoa has now come back and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” said Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski added that the athlete is making daily progress and is eager to pursuing his recovery in a home environment.

However, the executive confirmed that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to training.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Katoa is a highly valued 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 National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the events that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

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

However, he was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and expanding the mandatory recovery time for affected players.