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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, following returning from a prolonged stay in New Zealand after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three separate head injuries during a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against New Zealand. This led to convulsions while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

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

The team revealed recently that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“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 specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

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

Importantly, the CEO stated that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our doctor and neuro specialists, Eli will not return to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “There is 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 training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a much loved and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The NRL is wrapping up its investigation into the events that led to Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.

However, 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 required oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

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