🔗 Share this article

The Storm forward Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 rugby league season as he focuses on rehabilitation at home in his home state, following coming back from a extended period in New Zealand where he underwent brain surgery.

What Happened

The 25-year-old sustained three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while representing Tonga in a international fixture against New Zealand. This led to convulsions while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

A medical operation to relieve a brain bleed resulted in the player in the hospital and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The team revealed recently that the forward has finally returned home and is recovering, having also been briefly admitted to a Melbourne hospital.

“His health and recovery are our number one priority,” stated Storm CEO Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him back home and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

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

Importantly, the executive stated that there is no timeframe for Katoa’s recovery or a potential return to training.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa won't be back to practice during the preseason and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected member of our team and organization, and that the Storm family will rally around him and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its inquiry into the events that resulted in 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 head injury during the warm-up for the international contest.

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

Katoa’s condition worsened rapidly, and he needed medical oxygen on the sideline before being removed from the field on a medicab.

The NRL has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent seasons, introducing stricter enforcement on high tackles and expanding the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.