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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after returning from a extended period in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts during a single afternoon while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A medical operation to relieve a brain bleed resulted in Katoa in the hospital and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The team announced this week that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

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

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to training during the preseason and won’t be available for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and assist him during his recovery.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the events that led to Katoa’s surgery.

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

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and suffered two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.

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

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent years, introducing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.