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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, following returning from a extended period in New Zealand after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three head impacts during a single afternoon while playing for Tonga in a international match versus the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to relieve a brain bleed left the player in the hospital and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The club revealed this week that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, 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 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 added that the athlete is making daily progress and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

Importantly, the executive stated that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Katoa will not return to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

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

The powerful forward, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.

However, he was allowed to play in the match 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 medicab.

The league has attempted to address concerns around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.