BRADFORD Bulls may have brought in one hooker from Australia in the off-season, but another has gone back Down Under.

It was widely expected that James Segeyaro would leave the club, having only signed a deal until the end of 2023, and the signing of Mitch Souter from Canberra Raiders’ NSW Cup side only increased that possibility.

And now it has been confirmed that Segeyaro, who turned 33 at the weekend, has joined Wests Devils in Illawarra for the 2024 season.

The team compete in the Illawarra Rugby League Premiership, last winning the title in 2018.

Segeyaro, who was born in Papua New Guinea but moved to Australia with his mother at the age of seven, enjoyed a fine NRL career with the likes of North Queensland Cowboys, Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks, while he also had a brief spell with Leeds Rhinos in Super League.

Bulls signed him at the start of June 2023 until the end of the season, in a move that made many sit up and take notice.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: James Segeyaro in the thick of the action on his Bulls debut.James Segeyaro in the thick of the action on his Bulls debut. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

He showed his class in the Betfred Championship, starring in excellent wins over the likes of London Broncos and Batley Bulldogs.

But he suffered a bad knee injury in the second half of that latter game in August, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

It meant he left Bradford after making only seven appearances, a real shame given the impact he made on the side.