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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts in a single match while representing Tonga in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while off the field, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain left Katoa hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club announced recently that Katoa has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our top concern,” said the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the athlete is making daily progress and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery in a home environment.

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Katoa will not return to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness before considering any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and club, and that the Storm family will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its inquiry into the events that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine 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 required oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a stretcher.

The league has attempted to address concerns around concussions in the game in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.