Reimis Smith was granted a release from the Melbourne Storm on the eve of his departing club's first loss in eight NRL matches against St George Illawarra on Saturday night.
The club announced on Thursday that the Bundjalung and Māori man was leaving Australia to "take up an opportunity overseas".
It was later confirmed Smith will link up with Super League club Catalans Dragons and will join the French-based side in the south of the country.
The nephew of Aboriginal rugby league great Anthony Mundine featured in 12 of the Storm's 18 matches this season before getting permission to call it quits.
Smith was unable to crack the club's best run-on-side since returning from taking time off to deal with concussion and was offered a more financially lucrative deal and more game time in Perpignan.
The length of a new contract with Catalans have yet to be revealed publicly.
The 27-year-old's Storm four-year deal was set to expire at the end of the 2024 season.
Smith farewelled Melbourne having racked up 68 appearances under coach Craig Bellamy's tutelage.
"We wish Reimis all the very best with his ongoing career going forward and we thank both he and his partner Bronti for their wonderful contribution at our club," club director of football Frank Ponissi said.
"We wish them all the best for their next adventure in their lives."
Smith joined the Storm in 2021 following 49 appearances for Canterbury Bulldogs.
The centre had a strong first season at the Storm and scored 14 tries before suffering a serious pectoral injury where he missed the most of the 2022 season.
A pectoral injury saw him miss a significant chunk of the 2022 season before he returned to regular action and showing off consistent form the next year.
Smith signed for the Dragons under coach Steve McNamara just a day before the deadline for the transfer market expired on Friday.
"I am truly excited to be joining a strong organisation like the Catalans Dragons," Smith said.
"I look forward to contributing to a team of quality players led by an outstanding coach.
"Over the past nine years in the NRL, including the last four years at the Melbourne Storm, I have learned valuable traits that I'll certainly apply to my training and game at the Dragons."
While one Indigenous talent departed Melbourne's AAMI Park, another greeted the Storm's home venue with personal vengeance.
St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan bumped Tyrell Sloan back to the NSW Cup for a week and intended to keep the Wiradjuri outside back in the Dragons' reserves for a second match this week over indifferent form until Mat Feagea's concussion earned Sloan a late reprieve.
The Dragons fullback came out like a player with a point to prove, and was scintillating from inside his own half while running 153 metres with the ball, additionally proving to be dependable at the back in the tight 18-16 win, St George Illawarra's first in Melbourne for 25 years.
Sloan's most impactful highlight included putting St George Illawarra in front 12-6 after a key conversion when a fake kick had wrong-footed Storm superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen to cross the line.
Early in the second half, Sloan found a gaping hole to score, but the video referee denied a third Dragons try after teammate Luciano Leilua had impeded the Storm's Trent Loiero.
