Storm Star's 2026 Season Over Following Serious Head Trauma
Melbourne Storm forward Eliesa Katoa has been officially ruled out of the entire 2026 NRL season after undergoing brain surgery earlier this month. The 25-year-old second-rower suffered three separate head knocks within 90 minutes while representing Tonga against New Zealand in the Pacific Cup in Auckland.
Medical Emergency and Hospitalisation
The sequence of injuries culminated in Katoa experiencing seizure activity on the sidelines, requiring immediate oxygen treatment before being rushed to hospital. Medical professionals discovered bleeding on the brain, necessitating emergency surgery. Katoa spent more than two weeks receiving treatment at an Auckland hospital before being cleared to return to his Melbourne home.
Storm football manager Frank Ponissi and club doctor Jason Chan accompanied the player from New Zealand over the weekend. Following additional testing and assessment at a Melbourne hospital, Katoa was finally released on Tuesday to continue his recovery from home.
Club Prioritises Long-Term Recovery
Storm boss Justin Rodski confirmed that while Katoa hopes to resume his NRL career eventually, he will not play in 2026 and there's no timeline for his return to training. "Eli's health and wellbeing remain our number one priority," Rodski stated. "In consultation with our doctor and neuro specialists, Eli will not return to training this pre-season and won't be available for the 2026 season."
The club emphasised that Katoa faces a long road to recovery and must focus entirely on returning to full health before considering any return to rugby league. Rodski added: "He is improving each day and looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home. The Storm family will rally around him and support him through his recovery."
NRL Investigation and Financial Implications
The NRL has launched an investigation into Tonga's handling of the incidents, with particular focus on whether Katoa should have been cleared to play after suffering a heavy knock during warm-up. This initial incident was deemed not to require a head injury assessment (HIA). He then passed an HIA after another head knock in the first half before returning to the field and suffering the third, game-ending blow.
While Melbourne will likely have Katoa's salary excluded from their cap since the injury occurred during a representative match, his absence represents a significant blow to the team as he's considered among their best players. The NRL has yet to publish its findings from the investigation.
