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The Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, after coming back from a prolonged stay in Auckland where he underwent brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three head impacts during a single match while playing for Tonga in a international fixture against New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while on the sideline, necessitating urgent medical care.

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

The team announced recently 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,” 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.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski added that the player is improving each day and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation in a home environment.

However, the executive stated that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Eli won't be back to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” he emphasized. “There is a lengthy recovery process ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and club, and that the Storm family will support him fully and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

The NRL is currently finalizing its investigation into the circumstances that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was selected for the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

Despite this, he was allowed to play in the game and endured two additional blows to the head before coming off in the later stages.

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen on the sideline before being taken off on a medicab.

The league has attempted to address concerns around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.