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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 his home state, after coming back from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old athlete suffered three separate head injuries during a single match while playing for the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship match versus New Zealand. This led to seizures while off the field, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to relieve a brain bleed left Katoa hospitalized and initially unable to travel back to Melbourne.

The club announced this week that Katoa has finally returned home and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “We are thrilled to have him back home and under the care of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the player is improving each day and is eager to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

However, the CEO confirmed that there is no set timeline for his return to health or a potential return to training.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to practice during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski concluded by noting that Katoa is a highly valued and respected member of our team and club, and that the Storm family will support him fully and support him through his recovery.

League Investigation

The National Rugby League is wrapping up its inquiry into the circumstances that led to Katoa’s surgery.

The powerful forward, who was named in the league's best lineup at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and endured two additional blows to the head before being substituted in the second half.

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

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.