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The Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after returning from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three separate head injuries in a single match while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship fixture versus New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, necessitating emergency medical attention.

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

The club revealed this week that the forward has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” stated Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him home safely and under the care of our club doctor and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the athlete is improving each day and is eager to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Eli will not return to practice this pre-season and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

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

The talented player, 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.

However, he was cleared to participate in the match and suffered 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 removed from the field on a stretcher.

The NRL has attempted to address concerns around concussions in the game in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.