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The Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 rugby league season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, after returning from a extended period in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three separate head injuries during a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a Pacific Championship fixture against the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while on the sideline, necessitating urgent medical care.

A medical operation to address bleeding on the brain resulted in the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club revealed this week that the forward has now come back and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the care of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

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

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

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead in his recovery, and his focus will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating any form of return to training.”

Rodski finished by saying that Eli is a much loved and respected part of the squad and organization, and that the Storm family will support him fully and support him through his recovery.

Broader Context

The NRL is currently finalizing its inquiry into the circumstances that led to Katoa’s surgery.

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 Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was cleared to participate in the match and endured two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the later stages.

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

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent years, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.