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The Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in Victoria, after returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three head impacts in a single afternoon while playing for the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship fixture against the Kiwis. Subsequently, he experienced convulsions while on the sideline, requiring emergency medical attention.

A surgical procedure to address bleeding on the brain left Katoa hospitalized and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The team revealed recently that Katoa has finally returned home and is on the mend, having also made a brief visit to a local medical facility.

“His health and recovery are our top concern,” stated Storm CEO a team official. “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 athlete is improving each day and is eager to pursuing his recovery in a home environment.

Importantly, the CEO stated that there is no set timeline for Katoa’s recovery or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Katoa will not return to practice this pre-season and won’t be available for the 2026 season,” he emphasized. “There is a long road ahead ahead of him, and his primary goal will be on returning to full health before considering any form of return to training.”

Rodski concluded by saying that Katoa is a much loved and respected member of our team and club, and that the Storm family will support him fully and assist him during his rehabilitation period.

League Investigation

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

The powerful forward, who was named in the competition’s team of the year at the recent Dally M awards, seemed to sustain a concussion during the warm-up for the international contest.

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

His state deteriorated quickly, and he needed medical oxygen beside the field before being removed from the field on a stretcher.

The league has sought to tackle issues around concussions in the sport in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on high tackles and expanding the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.