The Storm forward Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, after returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.
What Happened
The 25-year-old athlete suffered three head impacts in a single afternoon while representing the Tongan national team in a international fixture against the Kiwis. This led to convulsions while off the field, requiring urgent medical care.
A surgical procedure to relieve a brain bleed resulted in the player hospitalized and initially unable to travel to his club base.
The team revealed recently that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.
“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our number one priority,” said Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him back home and under the supervision of our club doctor and local specialists.”
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Rodski added that the player is making daily progress and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.
Importantly, the executive confirmed that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.
“In consultation with our doctor and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to practice this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is 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 rugby league activities.”
Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and club, and that the entire club will rally around him and support him through his recovery.
Broader Context
The NRL is currently finalizing its inquiry into the events that led to the required neurosurgery.
The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.
Despite this, he was allowed to play in the game and endured two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.
Katoa’s condition deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a medicab.
The league has sought to tackle concerns around head injuries in the sport in recent years, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for affected players.
