Mystery illness leaves footy star coughing up blood in hospital: ‘No one can figure out what’s wrong with him’
Roosters prop De La Salle Va’a has suffered a huge health scare on the eve of Sydney’s opening round of the 2025 NRL season after the 19-year-old was admitted to hospital with a ‘mystery illness’.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the 121kg forward had previously been admitted to hospital after ‘coughing up blood’. It comes on the eve of his side’s Round One clash against the Brisbane Broncos on Thursday.
His manager, Trevor Conroy, said he had also returned to hospital on Wednesday, following what had been a difficult period for his family.
It comes as his brother, Xavier, who also plays for the Roosters, was admitted to hospital after sustaining a cut on his arm which had become infected.
Conroy said that during his time in hospital, De La Salle had been monitored by specialists but medical professionals had some difficulty diagnosing the young forward.
Despite that, they are now confident he will make a full recovery but it is understood it could take between six and 12 months for him to return to the footy pitch.
‘He had massive temperatures and was in emergency for 18 hours before they finally admitted him.
‘No one can figure out what’s wrong with him.
‘De La Salle hurt his hip a few weeks ago and they think it could have been a haematoma that got infected and went to his kidneys and lungs.
‘He was coughing up blood.
‘De La Salle’s mum is a doctor so she asked for CTs (scans) to be done of his lungs, they were worried about blood clotting.’
The hulking front-row forward, who stands at 6ft 4in tall, made his NRL debut for the Roosters last season and was hopeful he would be able to feature in the opening round of the 2025 campaign.
Roosters boss Trent Robinson is understood to have also visited the young prop in hospital.
‘Trent Robinson (Roosters coach) went to the hospital to visit him which De La Salle really appreciated,’ he said.
‘It’s been pretty serious. They had a lung specialist come in to De La Salle, as well as a disease specialist.’
‘They have a few theories, either a haematoma that got infected or he got a scratch or wound that may have got a major bug.
‘He will make a full recovery but he went back to hospital (on Wednesday morning) for some antibiotics.
‘He is in the best of care. He was hoping to play round one but it might take six to 12 weeks before his body is back to normal to play.’
