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The Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following returning from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old suffered three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a international fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, necessitating emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to address a brain bleed left Katoa in the hospital and temporarily grounded to his club base.

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

“His health and recovery remain our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “It is great 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 continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

Importantly, the executive stated that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“In consultation with our medical team and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and club, and that the entire club will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

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

The talented player, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a head injury during the warm-up for the international contest.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and endured two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

His state worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The league has attempted to address issues around concussions in the sport in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for affected players.