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The Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after returning from a extended period in New Zealand where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three head impacts in a single afternoon while playing for the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against the Kiwis. This led to seizures while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to address bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa in the hospital and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The club announced this week that the forward has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” said Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him back home and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player is making daily progress and is eager to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its inquiry 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, seemed to sustain a head injury during the pregame routine for the international contest.

Despite this, Katoa was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two more head impacts before being substituted in the second half.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he required 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 high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for affected players.