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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, after returning from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts in a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a international match against New Zealand. This led to convulsions while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club announced this week 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 remain our number one priority,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision 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.

Importantly, the CEO stated that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to practice this pre-season and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will support him fully and support him through his recovery.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the circumstances that led to Katoa’s surgery.

The talented player, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a concussion during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and endured two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the second half.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the sport in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.