Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has revealed heartbreaking news that Eliesa Katoa may never play in the NRL again.
Katoa suffered a sickening pre-game head knock in the Pacific Championships clash against New Zealand on November 2.
The brutal shot should have seen him ruled out of the contest but he was allowed to play where he suffered another two blows before he was eventually ruled out.
He then suffered seizure activity on the bench and had to be rushed to hospital where he had emergency surgery to ease bleeding on the brain.
The 26-year-old was ruled out for the entire 2026 season to continue his recovery, but is hoping to target a return to the field beyond that point.
On Monday night however, Bellamy cast doubt over his future with the legendary coach believing he may never return.
“He’s doing really well at the moment,” Bellamy said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
“I don’t know if he’ll play next year … I don’t know if he’ll play again.
“The doctors haven’t made that decision, and I don’t know when that decision will get made to be quite honest.
“I imagine after a certain amount of time he’ll have more tests and go from there.
“It was a major injury, and we want him to live the rest of his life in a normal way, so fingers crossed.
“But we’d love to have him back playing footy and playing with us. He was one hell of a player.
“Last year he won our player of the year.”
Katoa last month said he was recovering well and was still eyeing off a return to the Storm squad.
“I just want to let everyone know that I’m healthy now,” he told the Storm website.
“I’ve been training hard the last two or three months with no symptoms, so I’m going great at the moment.”
The Storm star has since taken up a role with the forward pack, a move that Bellamy says he has been instrumental in helping younger players advance.
“We’ve given him a role will our edge back rowers to take them under his wing – young Cooper Clarke,” Bellamy said.
“We have to give Eli a lot of wraps for that – even with Joey Chan and Valu (Lisati), he’s helped them out a whole heap as well.
“That’s the good news.”
