Kallum Watkins has been granted an immediate release from his Gold Coast Titans contract after his father contracted coronavirus.

Former Leeds Rhinos captain Watkins had an NRL contract until the end of the 2021 campaign but was permitted to leave and return to the United Kingdom on compassionate grounds.

The England international moved to Gold Coast during the 2019 campaign and made eight appearances for the team.

"Family comes first. We are looking at all options re his rugby career," said Watkins' manager Chris Orr.

Watkins suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in May 2018 and was consigned to the sidelines for eight months.

Having taken time to adjust to the NRL but proven impressive in pre-season, Titans head coach Justin Holbrook was bitterly disappointed to see the centre depart in such circumstances.

"Kallum has only been here for a short time, but he is an immensely popular guy in the playing group. Every day he exhibited the qualities that the club wanted from him – namely his leadership and his professionalism," said Holbrook.

"I am mostly just bitterly disappointed for Kallum – firstly that he has to endure this awful situation with health concerns with family members, and secondly that he has had to walk away from his dream of proving himself in the NRL.

"He worked incredibly hard in the off-season, and that hard work was evident in the form we saw from him at the start of the season – in the trial against the [Brisbane] Broncos, and then our two premiership games against Canberra [Raiders] and Parramatta [Eels].

"For him to have to walk away now just as he was getting back to his best is devastating for him, and for us as his friends.

"But family always comes first, and we would never stand in Kallum's way of doing what is best for his family in a very difficult time.

"He leaves the Titans with our thanks and best wishes, for him and his family."