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The Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after coming back from a extended period in New Zealand after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries during a single afternoon while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. This led to seizures while on the sideline, necessitating urgent medical care.

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain left the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club revealed recently that Katoa has finally returned home 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 Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him back home and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli will not return to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a much loved and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and support him through his recovery.

Broader Context

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

The talented player, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, he was allowed to play in the match and endured two additional blows to the head before coming off in the later stages.

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

The league has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the game in recent years, introducing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.