Three Tonga XIII officials, including the head doctor, assistant doctor and head trainer, are facing a two-year ban from the National Rugby League after an investigation into star player Eliesa Katoa’s head injury last month.

He was allowed to play with repeated head knocks.

“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,” NRL stated in a News Release on Monday 8 December.

Four Tonga XIII officials have each received a breach notice under the NRL Rules. The proposed penalties for each individual are as follows:

• Head Doctor - a prohibition from being concerned, whether directly or indirectly, with any Club, Team or Player in the NRL Competitions, Representative Competitions or any other competition conducted under the auspices of the NRL or ARLC for a period of no less than 24 months.
• Assistant Doctor - a prohibition from being concerned, whether directly or indirectly, with any Club, Team or Player in the NRL Competitions, Representative Competitions or any other competition conducted under the auspices of the NRL or ARLC for a period of no less than 24 months.
• Orange Shirt Trainer (Head Trainer) – a prohibition from being concerned, whether directly or indirectly, with any Club, Team or Player in the NRL Competitions, Representative Competitions or any other competition conducted under the auspices of the NRL or ARLC for a period of 24 months.

Additionally, the yellow shirt trainer (Medical Assistant) has been issued with a formal warning.

All individuals are required to undergo further training on their responsibilities under the NRL Rules and the NRL’s policy for the management of possible head injuries and concussion.

There are no penalties against any members of Tonga's coaching staff, with coach Kristian Woolf, who is also the Dolphins' mentor, cleared of any wrongdoing.

Eliesa Katoa has already been ruled out of the 2026 NRL season, with no clear timeline on a potential return to the field.

The ABC reported that Katoa suffered three head knocks while on Test duty for Tonga within 90 minutes while playing against New Zealand at Eden Park in the Pacific Championships on 2 November. He suffered seizure activity on the sidelines and was taken to the hospital, where he had surgery on a brain bleed. The 25-year-old remained in Auckland for weeks before returning to Melbourne, where he underwent further testing under the care of hospital specialists.