Melbourne Storm poised to sign Jack Hetherington after losing Eli Katoa for the season
With Nelson Asofa-Solomona gone and Eli Katoa ruled out of the 2026 season following a brutal concussion saga, Melbourne are set to bring in a former Knight, while also re-signing another key forward.
Melbourne will sign Newcastle’s Jack Hetherington as they look to shore-up their forward stocks for the 2026 NRL season without Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Eliesa Katoa.
The Storm are finalising Hetherington’s one-year deal, which is expected to be officially announced within days.
Hetherington has been without a club since his three-year contract with the Knights expired at the end of the 2025 season.
While it is only a modest, short-term contract, the 29-year-old has the ability to add starch to the suddenly depleted Storm pack.
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Asofa-Solomona was granted a release from the final two years of his Storm deal in October to “consider other opportunities and new challenges”.
While Katoa has been cruelly ruled out for the entire 2026 after suffering a head injury in the Pacific Championships that required emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain.
The NRL launched a full investigation into the circumstances around the injury to Katoa, who suffered three head knocks — one pre-game — during Tonga’s clash with New Zealand.
Melbourne can receive up to $400,000 in salary cap relief if the club finds a replacement for Katoa.
Hetherington is a firebrand who has played 96 NRL games since making his debut for Penrith in 2018. He had a loan with New Zealand before stints at Canterbury and Newcastle.
The versatile forward can play on an edge or in the middle and will bring aggression to a Storm side which has lost successive grand finals.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy faces a considerable challenge this coming season to replace Katoa, Asofa-Solomona, Jonah Pezet and Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Papenhuyzen has been linked to the revel R360 rebel competition although his manager, Clinton Schifcofske has said the star fullback had planned to take time off away from football.
Asofa-Solomona’s future also remains unclear although he has been linked to rugby union, and potentially R360. Asofa-Solomona missed Melbourne’s 26-22 grand final loss to Brisbane through suspension.
STORM RE-SIGN FORWARD
-Brent Read
Melbourne have finally struck a new deal with prop Tui Kamikamica, ending South Sydney’s hopes of signing the powerful Fijian to strengthen their bid to return to the finals.
Kamikamica became a free agent on November 1 after his deal at the Storm expired but he will stay at the club after agreeing to a one-year extension for the 2026 season.
The 31-year-old also had interest from multiple Super League clubs including St Helens but always wanted to stay in the NRL.
He will now do so at the Storm, giving him the chance to add to the 138 games he has already played for the club.
It is understood that the Rabbitohs had expressed an interest in Kamikamica.
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Originally published as Melbourne Storm poised to sign Jack Hetherington after losing Eli Katoa for the season
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