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The Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

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

A surgical procedure to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa hospitalized and initially unable to travel to his club base.

The club announced this week that Katoa has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our top concern,” said the club's chief executive a team official. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our club doctor and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski noted that the player is improving each day and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neuro specialists, Katoa will not return to practice this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “He has a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating any form of return to training.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will rally around him and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The NRL is wrapping up its investigation into the events that led to Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a head injury during the warm-up for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, he was allowed to play in the match and suffered two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the later stages.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a medicab.

The NRL has attempted to address concerns around head injuries in the game in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.