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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 his home state, following returning from a prolonged stay in Auckland after undergoing brain surgery.

Sequence of Events

The 25-year-old sustained three separate head injuries in a single afternoon while playing for the Tongan national team in a international fixture versus New Zealand. This led to seizures while off the field, necessitating 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 team announced recently that Katoa has now come back and is on the mend, having also been briefly admitted to a local medical facility.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” said the club's chief executive Justin Rodski. “It is great to have him home safely 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 looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home.

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

“In consultation with our doctor and neuro specialists, Eli won't be back to training during the preseason and is ruled out for the upcoming season,” Rodski declared. “He has 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 Eli is a highly valued and respected part of the squad and club, and that the entire club will rally around him and support him through his rehabilitation period.

Broader Context

The NRL is currently finalizing its inquiry into the events that led to the required neurosurgery.

The talented player, who was selected for the league's best lineup at the annual awards ceremony, appeared to suffer a head injury during the pregame routine for the Pacific Championship match.

However, Katoa was allowed to play in the match and endured two additional blows to the head before coming off in the second half.

His state worsened rapidly, and he required oxygen beside the field before being taken off on a medicab.

The league has sought to tackle issues around head injuries in the game in recent seasons, introducing crackdowns on dangerous contact and lengthening the post-concussion stand down period for affected players.