The NRL has launched an investigation into whether concussion protocol was correctly followed in the incidents that led to Tonga star Eli Katoa suffering a bleed on the brain and undergoing emergency surgery.
Katoa is in a stable condition in hospital after three sickening head contacts during Tonga’s clash with New Zealand over the weekend. The NRL will now determine if anything different could have been done to prevent Katoa from returning to the field.
He took a horrific blow before the game had even started, suffering a huge head knock after colliding with team-mate Lehi Hopoate. However, he was allowed to take to the field and play in the match.
Katoa then had to leave the field for a Head Injury Assessment during the first half of the Pacific Championships clash against the Kiwis, but was able to return.
Eli Katoa lucky to be running out for Tonga today after copping a brutal friendly fire hit during the warm up!
Must have passed all concussion assessments – hopefully no more heavy blows to the head for him today ? pic.twitter.com/qj8MI8PY9B
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) November 2, 2025
However, he was finally ruled out of the game after hitting the turf following another tackle. Worryingly, he then suffered seizures on the sideline before being rushed to hospital and undergoing surgery, with the forward suffering a bleed on his brain.
Rugby League Players Association COO Luke Ellis has confirmed an investigation is now underway, and they too will look into the matter.
“Ensuring a safe environment for players is the remit of the NRL,” he said. “So along with our own enquiries, we will be trusting them to work through this and understand what occurred.”
Tonga coach Kristian Woolf was adamant post-match that everything had been followed correctly in terms of protocol.
“We’ve got two very experienced doctors there. They’ve done their usual HIA. He’s passed all that and passed all that well,” he said. “My job is not to question doctors. They were both comfortable with that and comfortable with him coming back onto the field.
“So I don’t think there’s anything to worry about there in terms of the process.”
Leading commentator Andrew Voss insisted that the situation was ‘indefensible’ and that his club, Melbourne Storm, are likely to merit wanting a full investigation into how their player was allowed to continue on in the game on multiple occasions.
“A sickening, unbelievable situation. I think it’s indefensible,” he said on SEN Radio. “If I’m Melbourne, I’m saying I want a full detailed description of how that played out.
“Looking at that incident before the game, that’s category 1 to my untrained doctor eye. Melbourne wouldn’t send him back on after that.”
