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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, after returning from a prolonged stay in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries in a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture versus New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

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

The team announced recently that the forward has now come back and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

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

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski noted that the player is improving each day and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery in a home environment.

Importantly, the executive stated that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“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 2026 season,” he emphasized. “He has a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and assist him during his recovery.

Broader Context

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

The talented player, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and endured two more head impacts before coming off in the later stages.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a medicab.

The NRL has sought to tackle concerns around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and expanding the mandatory recovery time for affected players.