Collingwood star Bobby Hill is leaving the AFL club in a mutual decision after struggling with personal issues, four years before the end of his $3m contract.

“The club has been working with Bobby over the past 12 months to put support structures in place to help him work through some personal matters,” executive general manager of football Charlie Gardiner said in a statement on Friday.

“Despite this, Bobby has unfortunately struggled to meet his commitments to the club consistently this year and agreed that taking a break from football is the best decision for him and his family.

“Bobby will always be recognised as a premiership player and a Norm Smith medallist at Collingwood and we wish him all the very best.”

Hill, who joined the Magpies form GWS ahead of the 2023 season, said he hoped the break would help him return to footy.

“I’ll always be proud to have been part of this club and thankful for the opportunity to represent Collingwood – I leave with memories I’ll cherish forever,” Hill said in the statement.

“I’m going to take a break from football to keep working on myself and regain my passion for the game.”

Hill, who kicked 33, 30 and 20 goals in his three seasons as a Magpie, was contracted until the end of the 2030 season.

The 26-year-old has been in and out of the Magpies’ program for a year, playing only a handful of VFL games since round 21 last season.

Earlier this year, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said a “battling” Hill was a long way from playing.

Hill had been granted a personal absence to deal with his relationship breakdown and relocation of his two young children.

Collingwood had allowed Hill to spend time in Western Australia, where his former partner and children now live.

He most recently took another portion of leave to be alongside his partner during her childbirth.

Just last week, McRae spoke passionately about Hill.

“He’s a premiership player and Norm Smith medallist, and he’ll forever be welcome in our four walls – whatever that looks like and means for the future,” McRae said.

“There’s the playing part, the high performance of what he’s capable of doing for our team and for our supporter base.

“And then there’s the personal part: He’s a father … a young man with three kids. You want the best for all our players.”

Originally published as Bobby Hill, Collingwood ‘mutually agree’ to part ways