Fans are rallying around Melbourne Storm star Tui Kamikamica after the NRL club revealed the forward had suffered a “medical episode” on Monday morning. The Fiji Test star is currently recovering in hospital in Melbourne after the Storm confirmed he’d undergone treatment for a suspected stroke.
It’s unclear at this stage how serious the situation is for Kamikamica or when he might be expected to return to the NRL. But Melbourne insist the 31-year-old is in good care, and have asked fans to respect the privacy of the player and his family as he continues his recovery.
Melbourne forward Tui Kamikamica (L image, right side) is recovering in hospital after a medical episode on Monday, in another sad blow for coach Craig Bellamy’s (R) side. Pic: Getty
“Melbourne Storm can confirm that forward Tui Kamikamica is currently in hospital following a medical episode on Monday morning,” a statement on the club’s website read. “He has undergone treatment for a suspected stroke and is recovering in hospital. Tui is receiving the best possible care and is being supported by hospital specialists, alongside the Club’s medical staff.”
Kamikamica has featured in Melbourne’s first four games of the new season, and was part of the Storm side that lost to Brisbane in last year’s grand final. The towering middle forward has played 142 games for the club since making his NRL debut with the Storm in 2017.
But the Fijian has yet to win a grand final under coach Craig Bellamy after being left out of the Storm sides that won premierships in 2017 and 2020. Kamikamica played 25 minutes off the bench for Melbourne in their shock Round 4 loss to North Queensland over the weekend, making nine runs for 84 metres and contributing nine tackles in the 28-24 defeat.
Melbourne Storm forward Tui Kamikamica is seen here lunging for the try line during the 2025 NRL grand final against the Brisbane Broncos. Pic: Getty
(Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)Tui Kamikamica news deals fresh blow to Melbourne Storm
But Kamikamica is almost certain to be unavailable for the Storm’s Round 5 showdown against the undefeated Panthers on Friday night. Bellamy will be hoping for a strong response against table-topping Penrith after his men squandered halftime leads in back-to-back losses against the Broncos and Cowboys.
However, Bellamy’s depth at the Storm is set to be given an even sterner test against the red-hot Panthers, with Kamikamica joining a growing list of players sidelined at Melbourne. The Storm are already without rep star Eli Katoa (brain surgery) for the season and fellow back-row sensation Ativalu Lisati is not expected back until round 7 from a calf injury.
Rep winger Xavier Coates is still several weeks away from returning after surgery on an Achilles injury, while Marion Seve (biceps), Jack Howarth (hip) and Nick Meaney (back) are also battling complaints. Shawn Blore is pushing to come back from an ankle injury in what would be a huge boost for Melbourne ahead of the Penrith game.
But the thoughts of the league world are well and truly with Kamikamica after Monday’s scary development. And fans have been inundating the Melbourne forward with messages of support on social media, and wishing the Fijian a speedy recovery.