'Don't know whether he'll play again': Storm star's NRL future unknown

Eli Katoa is sitting out the 2026 season, but has taken up a coaching role at the Storm. (AAP: Darren England)

In short:

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says he does not know when or if superstar back rower Eli Katoa will return to football.

Katoa copped three head knocks in 90 minutes while representing Tonga in the Pacific Championships in November.

Katoa is currently mentoring his replacements at the Storm, with Bellamy giving him credit for the performance of teenage rookie Cooper Clarke.

The NRL future of Storm star Eli Katoa is still unclear, according to Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy.

Katoa was hospitalised after copping three head knocks in 90 minutes while playing for Tonga in a Pacific Championships Test against New Zealand late last year.

After surgery to relieve brain bleeding in Auckland, Katoa returned to Melbourne and the decision was made for him to sit out the 2026 season.

Three rounds into the season, Bellamy said Katoa is "doing really well at the moment", but it is still too early to know if or when he will return to the sport.

Katoa copped three head knocks in 90 minutes before and during a Test in November. (Getty Images: Hannah Peters)

"I don't know whether he'll play next year. I don't know whether he'll play again," he said on Seven's The Agenda Setters.

"The doctors haven't made that decision yet and I don't know when that decision will get made. After a certain amount of time, he'll have more tests and go from there.

"It was a major injury and we certainly want El to be able to live the rest of his life in a normal way.

In late November, Eli Katoa shared an update after his brain surgery, posting images of himself in hospital and saying he hopes to return to football "soon".

"Fingers crossed, but we'd love to have him back playing footy. He was one hell of a player for the couple of years he's been with us and last year he won our player of the year."

Katoa, a two-time Dally M back rower of the year, has taken up a role with the Storm to help mentor his replacements in the back row — Joe Chan, Ativalu Lisati and hulking teenager Cooper Clarke.

Clarke has impressed the league with three strong outings since his debut in round one and Bellamy said Katoa deserved "a lot of wraps for that".

"He's getting some real expert coaching," Bellamy said.

The Storm coach said Katoa is remaining a full-time member of the group, even if his playing future is unknown.