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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, following coming back 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 international fixture versus New Zealand. This led to seizures while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

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

The club revealed recently that the forward has now come back and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our number one priority,” said the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him home safely and under the care of our club doctor and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski added that the player is making daily progress and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

However, the executive stated that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to training during the preseason and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and club, and that the Storm family will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

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

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

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

Katoa’s condition deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a medicab.

The NRL has attempted to address issues around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.