Heath L’Estrange will not be returning to the Bulls after the club released their joint captain from the final year of his contract on compassionate grounds.

The Australian hooker’s wife, Jessica, gave birth to the couple’s first child recently and they are keen to raise their young daughter, Grace, back home.

It is not yet clear whether L’Estrange will find a new club in the NRL but the 28-year-old, a hugely popular figure with supporters, has certainly played his last game for the Bulls.

He said: “I would like to thank Bradford Bulls for allowing me to be released from my contract.

“Me and my wife, Jessica, have recently celebrated the birth of Grace, our first child, back home in Australia.

“We have come to the extremely difficult decision of leaving behind my professional career as a Bradford player in Super League.

“I have had an absolutely amazing time with the Bulls and I have played alongside some fantastic players.

“I have made lifelong friends and I was honoured to be named captain before the 2012 season. But I am part of a very close-knit family and we wish to bring up our daughter in Australia, around those closest to us.

“The Bulls fans have been absolutely superb since we arrived in the UK, back in 2009, and I hope they wish me and my family well.

“This is a new chapter in my life, which the Bulls have already played a major part in, for both me and my family.

“And I wish Francis Cummins, my former teammates and also the fans a happy and successful 2014 campaign.”

L’Estrange began his career with the Sydney Roosters and went on to join Manly, whom he helped to Grand Final glory over Melbourne in 2008.

He joined the Bulls ahead of the 2010 campaign and established himself as one of the best hookers in Super League.

Although his departure leaves Francis Cummins without one of his most senior players and joint skipper, the Bulls coach is not expected to bring in a replacement.

He is well blessed in the hooking department, with Matt Diskin and Adam O’Brien set to share the role in 2014 and rookie Nathan Conroy as back-up.

It remains to be seen whether Cummins will keep Diskin as his sole captain or hand the armband to another player altogether, such as new recruit Garreth Carvell.

Cummins paid tribute to L’Estrange, whose season ended prematurely by a knee injury sustained during the home defeat to Catalan Dragons in August, which saw him undergo surgery.

Cummins said: “Heath has been a great servant and a fantastic ambassador for the club.

“I am disappointed that he won’t be returning to the UK but Heath has had to make a decision on the future of the most important team in his life and that is ‘Team L'Estrange’.

“I am a family man, I have children of my own, and they have to come before sporting careers. Heath has to do the best by his wife and new baby.

“We certainly did not want to lose him, he is a hugely influential figure in our team, but I fully understand his decision to stay in Australia.”