The NRL has hit four Tonga officials with breach notices, and proposed to suspend three of them for two years, after the sickening saga that resulted in Eliesa Katoa undergoing brain surgery.
The NRL said in a statement on Monday that Tonga’s head doctor, assistant doctor and head trainer were facing 24-month suspensions, and issued the medical assistant with a formal warning.
It’s been proposed by the league that the doctors and trainer are banned from being involved, whether directly or indirectly, with any club, team or player in competitions run by the NRL or the ARL Commission for a period of no less than 24 months. The Tonga officials have five days to respond to the breach notices.
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Eliesa Katoa receiving medical attention. Getty
Katoa was on three occasions hit in the head during Tonga’s clash with New Zealand at Eden Park in the Pacific Championships on November 2, prompting the NRL to launch an investigation into the handling of his health.
“The investigation has identified a number of serious concerns regarding possible breaches of the NRL rules and protocols by a number of individuals in the way that Mr Katoa was treated,” an NRL statement said.
“These concerns relate to a possible breakdown in communication between responsible medical and health professionals in relation to the safety of Mr Katoa, including through a failure to share and disclose information that was vital to the health of the player.
“The NRL rules and protocols exist to protect player safety and wellbeing and must be followed.”
Vision surfaced during the game of Katoa’s head jolting back violently when teammate Lehi Hopoate accidentally shouldered him while jumping to catch a ball in the warm-up. Tonga officials did not see the collision at the time and were not made aware of the vision until after full-time.
Katoa then copped an accidental forearm to the head from teammate Will Penisini in the 10th minute. The 25-year-old left the field for a head injury assessment but was cleared to return.
He was again hit in the head in the 53rd minute and only then ruled out of the match.
His club, the Melbourne Storm, said he was rushed to hospital after suffering seizure activity on the bench after being ruled out of the game.
The Storm confirmed last month that Katoa would not play in 2026.
The back-rower posted on Instagram after being discharged from hospital last month, saying he was “in a good place now” and declaring: “In God’s timing I’ll be back soon.”
Former Cronulla and NSW captain Paul Gallen made scathing comments about the handling of Katoa’s health in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald last month.
Eliesa Katoa is assisted during the Pacific Championship match. Getty
“Anyone who has not done their job properly in this matter that has clearly let the player down should be sidelined for a minimum of a year at least, if not a life ban. It was ridiculous,” Gallen said.
“I mean Eli is out for a year at least and in judicial cases that’s a factor, but this is much more serious.
“What happened to Katoa was a disgrace.
“And I’m one who thinks some of the penalties or action we see for accidental high contact is over the top. Often ridiculous.
“But not in this case.”
In addition to the breach notices dealt to the four Tonga officials, each of them must undergo further training on the management of head injuries.