🔗 Share this article

The Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, after coming back from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts during a single match while playing for Tonga in a international fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to relieve a brain bleed resulted in the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The team announced recently that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery remain our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the athlete is improving each day and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation 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 neuro specialists, Katoa will not return to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and club, and that the entire club will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

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

The powerful forward, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a head injury during the warm-up for the international contest.

Despite this, he was allowed to play in the game and suffered two more head impacts before coming off in the later stages.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, 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 stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.