🔗 Share this article

The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after coming back from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against New Zealand. This led to seizures while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain left the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The club revealed recently that the forward has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him home safely and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

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

However, the executive confirmed that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Eli will not return 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 focus will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a much loved and respected member of our team and club, and that the entire club will rally around him and assist him during his recovery.

League Investigation

The NRL is currently finalizing its investigation 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 recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a head injury during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, Katoa was cleared to participate in the game and suffered two more head impacts before being substituted in the later stages.

His state worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a medicab.

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