Eli Katoa, a 25-year-old former rugby league player, is recovering in rehabilitation. He received multiple traumatic brain injuries in a game against New Zealand on November 2. Katoa suffered a head knock after a collision with a team-mate during the pre-game warm-up. That incident primed the pump for what happened next. Despite suffering through this injury, he went on to play through it in the game.
Katoa suffered two more head knocks in the game back-to-back. As such, he was removed from the field for his well-being. Before long, tensions reached a boiling point. He continued having seizures on the sidelines after experiencing three different concussions in only 90 minutes of play. His condition required over two weeks of hospitalisation, where he met with specialists in Melbourne.
With careful consideration, the doctors recommended Katoa to sit out the 2020 season. That miscalculation means he will be sidelined for all of 2026. He remains the responsibility of the Melbourne Storm medical staff as he further continues his recovery. In a recent Instagram post, Katoa said he was thankful for all the encouragement he has received.
“And to the Storm fans, in God’s timing ‘I’ll be back soon’.” – Eli Katoa
The subsequent investigation into Katoa’s injuries found major lapses by the various medical staff responsible for his treatment. Tonga’s head doctor, assistant doctor, and head trainer were all suspended for two years. This means that they can no longer participate in any capacity within NRL competitions. Our investigation revealed numerous egregious violations. It underscored the breakdown of well-intentioned, well-trained medical professionals to communicate critical information regarding Katoa’s state of health.
Kristian Woolf, Katoa’s coach, spoke at length on the matter, shedding light on the protocols that were adhered to during the match.
“They’ve done their usual HIA. He’s passed all that and passed all that well. My job isn’t to question doctors. They were both comfortable with him coming back onto the field, so I don’t think there’s anything there in terms of worrying about the process.” – Kristian Woolf
Katoa wanted to thank everyone for all their love messages and prayers sent by fans and to the Storm club. While he has a long road still ahead of him, he certainly hasn’t given up hope on his eventual return to the field. As he begins what should be a long and arduous rehabilitation journey, Katoa’s future in the pro game looks bleak.
