Melbourne Storm and Tonga star Eli Katoa ruled out for entire 2026 NRL season

Melbourne Storm will apply to the NRL for salary cap dispensation, after star forward Eliesa Katoa was ruled out for the entire 2026 season after suffering a brain injury while playing for Tonga.

The Melbourne Storm will apply to the NRL for salary cap dispensation after losing star backrower Eliesa Katoa for the entire 2026 season.

In a heartbreaking blow to the career of the reigning Dally M backrower of the year, Katoa has been forced to step away from the game after suffering a major brain injury following three separate head knocks while playing for Tonga earlier this month.

“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,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.

“He has a long road ahead in his recovery and his focus will be on returning to full health before considering any form of 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.”

Eliesa Katoa has been ruled out of the 2026 NRL season.

The major bombshell emerged as the NRL prepared to hand down their findings into an investigation into the Tongan team’s management and procedure in permitting Katoa to continue playing after a sickening and widely-publicised head knock in the warm-up prior to playing against New Zealand in the Pacific Championships on November 2.

Katoa suffered a secondary head knock in the ninth minute of the match before a third and final concussion in the 51st minute.

The NRL wanted to afford Katoa the opportunity to provide his version of events before making their findings public, however News Corp understands the 25-year-old will decline the offer to instead focus on his own mental state and recovery.

Rodski confirmed that after spending 12-days in an Auckland Hospital, the 25-year-old is back in Australia where he has been released from a Melbourne hospital and will continue his recovery from home.

“Eli’s health and wellbeing remain our number one priority,” Rodski said.

“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.”

The reluctant news of Katoa being ruled out for the entire 2026 season leaves the Storm needing to prepare for next year without the powerful forward, who has played 118 NRL games and scored 42-tries.

Eliesa Katoa has been ruled out of the 2026 NRL season. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

His 14-tries last season were the third-most tries by any Storm player behind winger Xavier Coates (20) and fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen (15).

Katoa’s gaping omission from the 2026 roster will prompt the Storm to apply to the NRL for salary cap relief, allowing them to use a large portion of his circa $450,000 contract to sign an adequate replacement.

Club’s are permitted to seek cap relief if they lose a player to a significant long-term injury that has occurred during a representative match.

The Sharks have undertaken the same process after losing gun winger Ronaldo Mulitalo to a torn ACL while playing for the Kiwis.

The cap relief is vital to a Storm side that will also be dealing with the exit of roster mainstays Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Papenhuyzen, both of whom have taken a sabbatical from the game and in addition, the early release of rookie half Jonah Pezet to the Eels.

Originally published as Melbourne Storm and Tonga star Eli Katoa ruled out for entire 2026 NRL season