Tui Kamikamica, NRL star and Melbourne Storm forward, hospitalised after suspected stroke; club issues health update

Tui Kamikamica,Melbourne Storm forward, was rushed to hospital after a suspected stroke on Monday morning. The Storm said that he is "recovering in hospital". "He has undergone treatment for a suspected stroke," a club statement read, as quoted by 9News.

According to the statement, Tui is receiving the best possible care and is being supported by hospital specialists, alongside the club's medical staff.

The news comes amid a troubling stretch of injuries for Melbourne, who have also been dealt a significant blow with star winger Xavier Coates sidelined for the long term. The challenges continue to mount as they prepare to face the in-form Penrith on Friday night.


Kamikamica has played all four games this season to date, starting at lock or on the bench in Craig Bellamy's side. He played off the bench in Saturday night's shock loss to North Queensland, making nine runs in 25 minutes on the field.

Born on 18 May 1994, Kamikamica, 31, is a Fijian national who arrived at Melbourne in 2017 and played two NRL games that year. The hulking prop amassed 142 appearances for the Storm since then. However, he missed the 2020 grand final when they beat Penrith to win the title.

A mainstay of the Melbourne Storm pack, Tui Kamikamica has built a reputation as one of the club’s most dependable forwards since arriving in 2017. The prop’s journey to the NRL began when he moved from his native Fiji to Australia in 2013, initially linking up with Parramatta’s NYC side before a brief stint in rugby union.

Over the past five seasons, he has cemented his place under coach Craig Bellamy, featuring in 20 or more matches in four of the last five years, a testament to his consistency and durability. His value to the Storm was further underlined in the off-season, when he secured a one-year contract extension.