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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the complete 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, following returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

What Happened

The 25-year-old sustained three separate head injuries during a single match while playing for Tonga in a international fixture versus the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, requiring urgent medical care.

A surgical procedure to relieve bleeding on the brain left the player hospitalized and temporarily grounded back to Melbourne.

The club announced recently that the forward has now come back and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our top concern,” said Storm CEO a team official. “It is great to have him back home and under the supervision of our medical staff and specialist physicians.”

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Rodski added 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 set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“After discussions with our medical team and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has a lengthy recovery process in his recovery, and his primary goal will be on achieving complete wellness prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

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

Broader Context

The National Rugby League is currently finalizing its investigation into the events that resulted in the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the annual awards ceremony, seemed to sustain a head injury during the warm-up for the international contest.

Despite this, he was cleared to participate in the match 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 stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent years, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the mandatory recovery time for injured athletes.