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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following coming back from a extended period in New Zealand after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts in a single afternoon while playing for Tonga in a international fixture versus New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, necessitating urgent medical care.

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

The team revealed recently that Katoa has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player 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 comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to practice during the preseason and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “He has a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and club, and that the entire club will support him fully and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The NRL is wrapping up its inquiry into the circumstances that led to 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 concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.

Despite this, Katoa was cleared to participate in the game and suffered two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.

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

The league has sought to tackle concerns around concussions in the game in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.