Eliesa Katoa, a standout player for the Melbourne Storm, has made significant progress in his return to the NRL after receiving medical clearance to resume wrestling and tackling practice.
The Daily Telegraph reports that as part of his recovery, Katoa will be traveling overseas to meet with leading medical experts to plan his path back to the NRL.
Katoa sustained a serious brain injury while representing Tonga in last year's Pacific Championships tournament.
During the warm-up, he collided with fullback Lehi Hopoate, and despite the intense impact, Tonga's staff allowed him to participate in the game.
He faced two additional collisions during the match before experiencing a medical emergency on the sidelines, leading to an urgent hospitalization for surgery to address a brain bleed.
Since that incident in November, Katoa has not played, although he has stayed involved at the Storm, assisting with his recovery-related tasks.
While his return to the NRL had been uncertain, it is now looking more promising as Katoa resumes light wrestling and tackling training.
A successful return would be a remarkable achievement for Katoa after his challenging recovery, especially since he was among the top edge forwards in the league before his injury at the end of last year.