Updated ,first published
Melbourne Storm forward Tui Kamikamica is eager to resume his NRL career despite suffering a suspected stroke and being rushed to hospital.
The 31-year-old had a seizure when he got up to go to the toilet in the early hours of Monday morning and was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital after his partner called emergency services.
He was out of an intensive care unit after having a blood clot removed and in a stable condition on Monday night but was expected to remain in hospital to be assessed further.
“He had the seizure and they took him to hospital, and they found a clot,” Kamikamica’s manager, Jeff Jurotte, said. “Luckily enough they were able to remove the clot through the groin.
“They removed it, he’s back in the ward and he’s been back for scans to check things. He’s out of intensive care.”
At Kamikamica’s side were sidelined Storm forward Eli Katoa and former Melbourne player Young Tonumaipea, who is a welfare officer at the club.
Jurotte said Kamikamica had been speaking to them and even told them “how pissed off he is that he can’t play on the weekend”.
“I’m led to believe he wants to keep playing footy,” he said.
Katoa, who is the Fiji international’s closest friend at the club, is out for the season due to severe head knocks suffered while playing for Tonga against New Zealand at Eden Park last December.
Club medical staff believe Kamikamica’s episode was the result of an underlying medical issue rather than anything related to football.
Club staff ruled out any ill effects from Saturday’s game against North Queensland in Townsville, in which Kamikamica played 25 minutes off the bench.
“It wasn’t anything to do with the game, apparently,” Jurotte said. “It happened when he got up to go to the toilet. [His partner] called the ambulance and they sent a trauma vehicle.”
The Storm were on a day off and not training on Monday. They face the ladder-leading Penrith Panthers at Commbank Stadium on Friday night.
Melbourne said Kamikamica had undergone treatment for a suspected stroke.
“Tui is receiving the best possible care and is being supported by hospital specialists, alongside the club’s medical staff,” the club said.
Kamikamica has played 142 NRL games, all for the Storm, since his debut in 2017 and has made 23 appearances for Fiji. He has appeared in all four matches for Melbourne this season, starting two of them.
The captain of his national side, Kamikamica signed a new one-year contract with Melbourne in January.
“The Storm was the first club to give me an opportunity to play NRL. It has always been an honour to wear the purple jersey, and I’m excited to remain in Melbourne for 2026 and continue playing alongside my teammates,” he said when his re-signing was announced.
Storm director of football Frank Ponissi described Kamikamica at the time as “a tremendous servant to our club for the past nine years”.
Before joining the Storm, Kamikamica played for Parramatta’s under-20s team and for Eels feeder team Wentworthville Magpies, as well as for Canberra Vikings in the National Rugby Championship.
Meanwhile, the Storm on Monday confirmed winger Will Warbrick will join the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the season.
Warbrick has made 60 appearances in the purple jersey, scoring 43 tries and establishing himself as a key member of the Storm’s back line.
“While we’re disappointed to see Will leave at the end of the year, we fully respect his decision to return to New Zealand and be closer to his family and wider community,” Storm chief executive Justin Rodski said.
“We know he’ll give everything to the purple jersey for the remainder of the 2026 season, and we look forward to his continued impact.”
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Chris Barrett is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former South-East Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.