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Melbourne Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 NRL season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in Victoria, following coming back from a prolonged stay in New Zealand after undergoing a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries in a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture versus the Kiwis. This led to seizures while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to address bleeding on the brain left the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

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

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the supervision of our club doctor and specialist physicians.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski added that the athlete is improving each day and is looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

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

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to practice during the preseason and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to training.”

Rodski finished by noting that Eli is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the entire club will support him fully and support him through his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its inquiry into the events that resulted in Katoa’s surgery.

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

Despite this, he was cleared to participate in the match and suffered two more head impacts before being substituted in the second half.

Katoa’s condition deteriorated quickly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The league has attempted to address issues around concussions in the game in recent years, implementing crackdowns on dangerous contact and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.