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Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa has been officially ruled out the entire 2026 NRL season as he continues his recovery at home in his home state, following coming back from a extended period in Auckland where he underwent a neurosurgical procedure.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old athlete sustained three separate head injuries during a single match while representing the Tongan national team in a Pacific Championship match versus New Zealand. Subsequently, he experienced seizures while off the field, necessitating urgent medical care.

A medical operation to relieve bleeding on the brain resulted in Katoa hospitalized and temporarily grounded to his club base.

The club revealed this week that Katoa has now come back and is recovering, having also made a brief visit to a Melbourne hospital.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing are our top concern,” stated the club's chief executive a team official. “It is great to have him home safely and under the supervision of our medical staff and local specialists.”

The Road to Recovery

Rodski added that the athlete is making daily progress and is looking forward to pursuing his recovery from home.

However, the CEO stated that there is no timeframe for his return to health or a comeback to the field.

“In consultation with our doctor and neurology experts, Eli will not return to training this pre-season and is ruled out for the 2026 season,” Rodski declared. “He has a long road ahead ahead of him, and his focus will be on returning to full health prior to contemplating a potential comeback to rugby league activities.”

Rodski finished by saying that Katoa is a highly valued and respected part of the squad 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 circumstances that led to the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, 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 cleared to participate in the match and endured two more head impacts before coming off in the later stages.

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

The league has attempted to address concerns around head injuries in the sport in recent seasons, implementing crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for injured athletes.