NRL news: Rival's offer to Eli Katoa as coach refuses to return home in stunning move for star

Kiwis and Warriors player Te Maire Martin has offered his assistance to Eli Katoa should the Melbourne Storm star need any help or advice as he recovers from a brain bleed. And Tonga coach Kristian Woolf has reportedly refused to fly home from New Zealand until Katoa is out of hospital.

Katoa remains in hospital in Auckland after undergoing surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after suffering 'seizure activity' on the sideline during Tonga's game against New Zealand in the Pacific Championships. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday that the Melbourne Storm star is expected to be discharged from hospital this week, but will need further clearance before he's allowed to fly back to Australia.

Tonga coach Woolf, who is also coach of the Dolphins in the NRL, has remained in Auckland and has been visiting Katoa daily. Woolf is reportedly refusing to return to Queensland until Katoa is out of hospital and given the all-clear. He's been by Katoa's side - alongside the second-rower's partner and family - ever since he was hospitalised.

It's a stunning move from Woolf, particularly as it means he won't be in attendance for the start of the Dolphins' pre-season. A number of NRL clubs are already back at work preparing for 2026, but the Dolphins will be doing so without their head-coach there.

Woolf has been coaching Tonga for the last decade, and has formed a strong bond with Katoa. According to reports, the Storm player had his best day on Monday since being hospitalised. Katoa is expected to make a full recovery, but is facing a long rehabilitation process. His NRL future is under a cloud, and there are genuine concerns he might be out for an extended period.

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Te Maire Martin offers to help Eli Katoa

Last week, Katoa's uncle Reverend Setelo Katoa told radio station PMN Tonga his nephew's status had improved and he'd been moved out of intensive care. On Tuesday, Martin said he'd happily offer his help after going through a similar situation that forced him to retire before returning two years later.

Martin began to feel ill while warming up for a game with the Cowboys in 2020. Scans later showed a bleed on the brain, but doctors were unable to find any specific head knock that led to the issue.

He eventually returned to football in 2022 when the headaches and migranes went away, and returned to Test level this season with the Kiwis. And while he hasn't reached out to Katoa yet, he's well-versed in talking athletes through the situation.

"I don't know him too well," Martin told AAP. "I've had a few people reach out to me from other sports, along those lines of how it happened and the comeback.

"If he reached out to me I would happily give him some advice. He's probably getting bombarded with messages. I don't know what he has or what his other things are, but I was lucky enough, I had other hobbies that I enjoyed."

NRL investigation into Eli Katoa incident completed

The NRL have completed an investigation into what transpired, and why Katoa was allowed to play in the first place. The findings won't be released until the NRL has a better picture of Katoa's recovery, and he wasn't well enough to be interviewed for the investigation last week.

The forward sustained a heavy knock to the head from teammate Lehi Hopoate in the warm-up, but doctors cleared him to play because they didn't see the incident and didn't have access to footage of it. Channel 9 aired the clash to TV viewers, but Tongan officials claimed they never saw it and wouldn't have allowed him to play if they had.

Katoa suffered another two head knocks during the game, but passed an HIA (head injury assessment) after the first and was allowed to return to the field. After the third knock he reported feeling unwell on the sideline and had to be rushed to hospital.

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