The Melbourne Storm second-rower sustained three head injuries during the Pacific Cup match, where Tonga faced a 40-14 defeat against New Zealand on November 2. This prompted league officials to initiate a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding Katoa’s injuries.

According to reports from the Sydney Morning Herald, the results of this investigation are anticipated to be disclosed in the next few days. It has been suggested that neither Woolf nor his staff will face disciplinary actions.

The situation raised significant concerns, particularly about Katoa’s continued participation in the game despite a severe head collision with a teammate during the pre-match warm-up. This incident has highlighted the critical importance of player safety and the protocols in place to protect athletes during matches.

Questions were raised about why Katoa was allowed to play during the match after he suffered a brutal head knock while clashing with a team-mate during Tonga’s warm-up.   

Katoa took to social media to provide a positive update on his condition. 

The Storm star has been ruled out of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery to drain fluid from his brain following the game, but has told fans on Instagram that his recovery was ‘going well’ and defiantly said that he ‘will be back soon’.

The NRL are expected to clear Tonga’s head coach Kristian Woolf and the Tonga national side’s coaching staff of any wrongdoing after Eliesa Katoa suffered multiple horror head knocks that left him needing emergency brain surgery

Katoa has been recovering well since he suffered the repeated knocks during a Pacific Championship match against New Zealand on November 2 

The NRL launched an investigation into the matter that left Katoa needing emergency surgery to drain fluid from his brain after he suffered three head collisions during a match

His career was thrown into doubt after he required an oxygen mask and treatment on the side of the pitch at Eden Park.

Katoa had suffered a head knock in the warm-up before his side’s clash with New Zealand, following a collision with team-mate Lehi Hopoate while attempting to claim a high ball.

He was declared fit to play, but the 25-year-old suffered another head knock in the ninth minute of the game. He left the field for a head injury assessment, but after passing the protocols, was allowed to continue.

In the 51st minute, he sustained another head knock and was permanently substituted out of the match.

The release of the findings are understood to have been delayed until the NRL were happy that Katoa had made a recovery from the injury.

He spent more than two weeks in an Auckland hospital before travelling back to Victoria, where he underwent further tests at a hospital in Melbourne, before returning home.

Katoa is now continuing his recovery under the watchful eyes of the Storm medical staff, with the footy star delivering an update on his condition this week.

‘I’m back at home at the moment and I’m in a good place now,’ Katoa posted on Instagram.

Katoa had suffered the first head collision during the team’s warm-up but was deemed able to play, he would suffer two more head knocks during the match

The forward shared photos of the start of his recovery, including this one showing him getting help while walking down a flight of stairs

Katoa also showed his followers what was left of his hair after it was removed so doctors could operate on his brain

‘My recovery is going well and hopefully I can keep ticking all of the boxes that I need!’ he wrote on Instagram

‘My recovery is going well and hopefully I can keep ticking all of the boxes that I need!

‘And to the Storm fans, in God’s timing, I’ll be back soon.’

‘A special thank you to the Storm for all of the help and support that you guys are continuing to provide, I appreciate it,’ he wrote.

‘To my girl, this woman has been amazing, strong and sticking by my side through it all. I appreciate you and I love you so much.’