JAMES Maloney has inexplicably walked out of the Kangaroos’ World Cup camp in Canberra just hours out from their clash with France.

Maloney was reportedly driven back home to Sydney on Thursday night for “personal reasons”.

It comes as the Sharks’ five-eighth was again linked with a move to the Panthers in a player-swap deal with disgruntled Penrith star Matt Moylan.

The Kangaroos camp on Friday afternoon confirmed Maloney will miss the game against France to deal with a “private family matter” in Sydney.

Maloney’s rush back to Sydney, is reportedly not related to his uncertain NRL future.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has already made the tough call to move Storm playmaker Cameron Munster into the halfback position alongside Michael Morgan, while speedster Valentine Holmes has be promoted onto the bench.

Star halfback Cooper Cronk was informed last week that he would be rested for the game and was given permission to break from camp to deal with the announcement of his move to the Roosters.

A statement from Rugby World Cup 2017 officials confirmed Dane Gagai has been called into the Kangaroos’ game day squad as a last-minute injury replacement.

“James Maloney has withdrawn from the match and been replaced in the 19-man squad by Dane Gagai, who was a member of the 21-man squad named on Tuesday,” the statement said.

“The late change has been approved by RLWC2017 tournament director Jeremy Edwards.

“The Kangaroos and France will finalise their 17-man squads 60 minutes before kick-off.”

Breaking: James Maloney has left kangaroos camp for a private matter. Unsure whether he will play tonight — Danika Mason (@DanikaMason9) November 2, 2017

.@Kangaroos say James Maloney was driven back home to Sydney last night to attend to a "private matter". Definitely not football related. — Josh Massoud (@josh_massoud) November 3, 2017

.@Kangaroos still hope Maloney might make it back for tonight's game. Munster on standby to play 5/8. Holmes to fill bench utility role. — Josh Massoud (@josh_massoud) November 3, 2017

It follows reports Maloney has secured a massive pay rise in a move to the Panthers.

His six-month fight for a pay bump has paid off with the Kangaroos playmaker set for a huge payday in his seismic move to Penrith.

The Sharks five-eighth is expected to complete a player-swap with disgruntled Penrith star Moylan in a $6 million deal, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The deal is expected to be announced as early as Monday, allowing Moylan to make an immediate move to Cronulla to play five-eighth alongside Chad Townsend.

Maloney’s move to the foot of the mountains will be his sixth NRL club since his debut in 2009.

The Panthers move to sign Maloney will take pressure off rising star Nathan Cleary and boost the club’s stock of playmakers if Cleary is called on to play for NSW in State of Origin next season.

According to reports, Maloney’s deal is worth $2.5 million over three-years — a huge pay rise on the $500,000 per season deal he was on at Cronulla.

Maloney had threatened to walk out on the Sharks if he was not granted a pay rise after witnessing the crazy coin that was thrown around for playmakers, including Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses and Josh Reynolds, at the start of the year.

The seismic player swap was first reported on the eve of the Panthers’ finals series charge following the Panthers’ shock decision to grant Moylan indefinite leave.

It prompted reports Moylan has fallen out with Panthers coach Anthony Griffin over a series of minor behavioural indiscretions.

Fox League’s NRL 360 host Paul Kent said during the year that Moylan was granted a leave of absence to accept that Griffin is in charge of the club — after Moylan had reportedly communicated that he felt singled out by the Penrith mentor for his dropping training standards.

Moylan was already under contract with Penrith through to the end of the 2021 season.

His new deal at Cronulla is reportedly worth $3.6 million over four years — seeing him through to the end of 2021.

The swap leaves Cronulla with a bonanza of new talent starting at the club next season with Moylan to join Kangaroos centre Josh Dugan in the Sharks’ starting 13. The club has lost Jack Bird and now Maloney.

The Sharks have also been linked with a play for Roosters star Mitchell Pearce, but the club may not have salary cap space to chase the former Roosters skipper when its contract with Moylan is cleared by the NRL.

It leaves Manly as the front-runner to land the NSW halfback if he decides to officially request a release from his Roosters contract.

Stung by the Roosters’ signing of Melbourne, Queensland and Australian halfback Cooper Cronk, Pearce is holidaying in Hawaii amid talk he wants out of the remaining two years of his contract at Bondi.