Melbourne Storm star Eliesa Katoa has taken another major step in his NRL return after he has been cleared to undergo wrestling and tackle training by the club's medical team.
The Daily Telegraph is reporting Katoa's positive steps in his recovery will also see him fly overseas to consult with some of the best medical professionals to roadmap a return to the NRL.
Katoa suffered a nasty brain injury while he was playing for Tonga in last year's Pacific Championships tournament.
The second rower collided with fullback Lehi Hopoate in the warm-up, with graphic footage showing a nasty clash, but was cleared by Tonga staff to continue into the match.
He then suffered two other collisions in the match before having a medical episode on the sideline, where he was urgently rushed
to hospital to undergo surgery to stop a bleed on his brain.
Since the incident in November last year, Katoa has not taken the field in any capacity, but has remained around the Storm club helping with duties catered towards his recovery plans.
Katoa's return to the NRL field has remained in doubt for some time, but is now moving in a positive direction with the Tongan star returning to light wrestling and tackling duties.
It would mark an incredible comeback for Katoa to return after his fierce battle, and he was one of the premier edge forwards in the competition at the time of his incident at the end of last year.
Katoa has played over 115 NRL games over his two stints at the Storm and the New Zealand Warriors, scoring an impressive 42 times as a second rower, with 26 of those tries coming in his two latest seasons.
Meanwhile, forward Tui Kamikamica has been forced to retire after he suffered a seizure earlier in the year, which was announced by the club last week.
The Fijian captain retired on medical grounds following over 140 NRL appearances for the Storm.
