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The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following coming back from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts in a single match while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championship match versus New Zealand. This led to seizures while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain resulted in the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The club announced recently that the forward has now come back and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the supervision of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the athlete is improving each day and is eager to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

Importantly, the CEO confirmed that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neuro specialists, Katoa won't be back to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness before considering any form of return to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its inquiry into the circumstances that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was named in the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, Katoa was cleared to participate in the game and endured two more head impacts before coming off in the second half.

His state deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the game in recent seasons, implementing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.