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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after coming back from a prolonged stay in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three head impacts during a single match while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship match versus the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while on the sideline, necessitating urgent medical care.

A medical operation to address a brain bleed left the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The club announced this week that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“His health and recovery remain our top concern,” said Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski noted that the player is making daily progress and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.

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 neuro specialists, Katoa won't be back to training this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and club, and that the entire club will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The NRL is wrapping up its inquiry into the events that resulted in Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the recent Dally M awards, appeared to suffer a concussion during the pregame routine for the international contest.

However, Katoa was cleared to participate in the match and suffered 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 NRL has sought to tackle concerns around concussions in the sport in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for affected players.