Melbourne Storm star Eliesa Katoa's recovery is continuing, with the forward showcasing himself going for a run and training at the gym in a recent social media post.
Katoa has already been ruled out for the entirety of the 2026 NRL season by the Storm after he suffered a traumatic head injury playing for Tonga during the end-of-year Pacific Championships.
The forward suffered three head knocks on the same day and wound up in hospital, needing surgery for a bleed on the brain.
The star has since returned to Victoria where he is under Melbourne Storm medical supervision, but the club confirmed he would need the entirety of this year for recovery, and was hesitant to confirm he would be back in 2027.
In a positive sign though, the forward posted an Instagram story late on New Year's Day which showcased him running and going to the gym.
“You don't get to choose everything that happens to you, but you always get to choose who you become in response,” Katoa wrote in the now-expired Instagram story's caption.
Given he was ruled out for the entirety of the season, his return to physical activity this early is a step in the right direction for the forward.
Katoa, who made the 2025 Dally M team of the year in the second row, is widely regarded as the best edge forward in the game, and will leave a gaping hole in Melbourne's side heading into 2026.
The 25-year-old has played 118 NRL games, of which 72 have come for the Storm since he joined the club in 2023.
All gone quiet on the Katoa front, and the doctor / trainers / coaches / players who all knew he was wrecked after the warm-up incident.
Anyone know if the people who _have_ been punished have appealed or are they just keeping a low profile ?