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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following returning from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries during a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. This led to seizures while on the sideline, necessitating emergency medical attention.

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

The club announced this week that Katoa has finally returned home and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” said Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski added that the athlete is making daily progress and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

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

“In consultation with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and club, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its inquiry into the circumstances that resulted in Katoa’s surgery.

The talented player, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and suffered two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

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

The NRL has sought to tackle concerns around head injuries in the game in recent seasons, introducing crackdowns on high tackles and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.