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

What Happened

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts in a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a Pacific Championship fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to relieve a brain bleed resulted in the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The team 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 are our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

However, the CEO confirmed that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli will not return to training during the preseason and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the circumstances 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 head injury during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, he was cleared to participate in the game 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 NRL has attempted to address issues around concussions in the sport in recent years, implementing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for affected players.