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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, following coming back from a prolonged stay in New Zealand after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries during a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a international match against the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while on the sideline, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain left the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded to his club base.

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

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” said the club's chief executive a team official. “It is great to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the athlete is improving each day and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.

Importantly, the CEO stated that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our doctor and neurology experts, Eli will not return to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “He has a long road ahead in his recovery, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and assist him during his recovery.

League Investigation

The NRL is wrapping up its investigation into the events that led to the required neurosurgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine for the international contest.

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

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.