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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out 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 after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries during a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

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

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

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him back home and under the care of our club doctor and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

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

However, the CEO confirmed that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal 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 part of the squad and organization, and that the entire club will support him fully and support him through his recovery.

League Investigation

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

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a concussion during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the game and suffered two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the later stages.

Katoa’s condition deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

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