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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after coming back from a prolonged stay in New Zealand after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old suffered three head impacts during a single match while playing for the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, requiring urgent medical care.

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

The team revealed this week that the forward has now come back and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

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

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the athlete is making daily progress and is eager to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

Importantly, the CEO stated that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “He has a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness before considering a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the entire club will support him fully and assist him during his recovery.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its investigation into the events that resulted in 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 warm-up for the international contest.

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

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a medicab.

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