France captain Olivier Elima is joining the exodus of players from Bradford Bulls after announcing he is to rejoin Catalan Dragons.

The 29-year-old second rower, who played for the Perpignan club from 2008-10, has signed a two-year deal to return to France from next season.

“I’ve been at the club before, I know the players and I’m obviously the France captain,” Elima told the Bradford Telegraph & Argus.

“It’s just an easy link for me to go back there with my family.”

Co-incidentally, Elima’s next game for the Bulls will be against the Dragons in Perpignan on Saturday in the final game of the regular season.

It will also be his last unless Bradford secure victory and play-off rivals Wakefield Trinity Wildcats lose to Salford City Reds.
 
Elima is one of 17 Bradford players out of contract at the end of the season and the third to confirm his departure.

Tom Burgess is joining his brothers at South Sydney and Ben Jeffries is returning to Australia to become a coal miner, while Ian Sibbit is expected to retire.

The club are still waiting to find out whether they will be allowed to continue in Stobart Super League in 2013 following last weekend’s takeover or be relegated to the Championship.