Tongan rugby league star Eli Katoa will miss the entirety of the 2026 NRL season after suffering repeated head knocks in his team’s loss to the Kiwis in Auckland this month.
Katoa underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after sustaining three head knocks within 90 minutes followedby “seizure activity” on the sideline during Tonga’s Pacific Championships clash with the Kiwis at Eden Park on November 2.
His NRL club, the Melbourne Storm, said on Tuesday he had returned safely to Melbourne and has been under the care of specialists in hospital, where further testing and assessment has been carried out.
“It is great to have him home safely and under the care of our club doctor and local specialists. He is improving each day and looking forward to continuing his rehabilitation from home,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.
He said there was no timeframe on the player’s recovery or possible return to training.
“Eli is a much loved and respected member of our team and club. The Storm family will rally around him and support him through his recovery.”
Katoa’s first knock came in the warm-up when he was on the wrong end of an accidental hit from teammate Lehi Hopoate as the two contested a ball, which was caught by TV cameras and later shown on the broadcast.
The independent doctor can only review incidents that occur during games and as that one took place beforehand, it was up to Tonga’s team doctors to review the situation.
They declared Katoa fit to play, having not seen the footage, but it’s since been revealed that had they seen the vision, they would have ruled him out.
Katoa copped an accidental elbow from a teammate in the game’s 10th minute and came off for a head injury assessment (HIA) but passed that.
In the second half, he got caught in an awkward position trying to make a tackle on Naufahu Whyte and came off second-best. As it was his second HIA, he was immediately ruled out for the remainder of the match.
After leaving the field, Katoa was seen slouching in his seat, which prompted urgent medical assistance. He was fitted with an oxygen mask, put on a stretcher and taken away on a medi-cab before being transported to Auckland Hospital where he stayed before returning to Australia.
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.
