Tom Starling's comeback: Raiders' No.9 rises to prominence after NSW Police brawl
From a high-profile 2020 incident to a central role in Canberra's 2025 success, Starling has become a defining figure for the Raiders as they contend for the premiership.
Tom Starling’s NRL career has endured a dramatic rebirth in 2025, culminating in a standout season for the Canberra Raiders as the team pursued the minor premiership and positioned itself for a run at the premiership. The hooker’s journey has been shaped by a high-profile legal battle and a months-long period of doubt about his future, followed by a rapid rise to one of the league’s most trusted dummy-halves.
Starling’s path to 2025 began far from the glare of success. In December 2020, he was involved in a brawl with NSW Police at a central coast establishment after an incident involving his mother. Although the matter went through the courts, Starling was cleared of all charges. He has since pursued a civil claim against NSW Police, but the football field remained his top priority as he plotted a return to the game and the chance to prove his worth at Canberra. The incident threatened to derail a promising start with the Raiders after he had arrived from Newcastle in 2019, a period in which he began to establish himself as an impact player while learning behind veterans Josh Hodgson, Zac Woolford and Danny Levi.
Fast forward to 2025, and Starling has become a fixture in the Raiders’ No. 9 jersey. With a desire for more minutes, he asked head coach Ricky Stuart before the season if he could start in the dummy-half role, and the coach granted him the opportunity. The decision opened the door for Starling to reclaim his standing and to push his way into consistent first-team duty in Canberra’s season opener against the Warriors in Las Vegas. The jersey was his to lose, and the early returns suggested it was a wise gamble for the Raiders.
Throughout the year, Starling’s influence grew as he supplied tempo, quick distribution and added physicality from the middle, helping Canberra secure the JJ Giltinan Shield as the team topped the regular-season ladder. The Raiders’ progress was notable given a preseason sense among some observers that Canberra might struggle to adapt after a string of high-profile departures and injuries. Starling’s early-season emergence helped ease those concerns and gave the Raiders’ engine room a fresh lift, with his ability to supplement star attackers and accelerate ruck movement.
The road to the finals included a brutal test in a 94-minute Qualifying Final against the Brisbane Broncos, a game that underscored Canberra’s resilience even in defeat. The loss forced the Raiders into a sudden-death affair with Cronulla at GIO Stadium, a matchup that carried the weight of a season’s momentum. Victory in that elimination clash would set up a Preliminary Final against the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park, a daunting test for a side chasing back-to-back grand-stage moments.
Starling spoke to News Corp after another milestone moment for the team, emphasizing the disciplined approach that has become a hallmark of Canberra’s season. “Every time we have lost this year, we have taken our lessons and become a better side,” he said. “Our effort and desire to win against Brisbane was there. We are going to need that again, but the goal for us hasn’t changed; it’s just a different path. Our goal is simple: to win the premiership. Whoever stands in our way, we’ll face them head-on. After everything we have been through, lifting that trophy will make it all worthwhile.”
The 2025 campaign has therefore been as much about personal redemption as it has been about on-field success. Starling’s emergence as a regular starter and his impact in attack and defense have reshaped the Raiders’ expectations and helped shift perceptions of the club’s capabilities midseason. The narrative surrounding his career — from a potential career stall to a central figure in Canberra’s push for glory — has become a defining thread of the season.
As Canberra prepares for the showdown with Cronulla, the focus remains squarely on finishing the job rather than revisiting the past. Starling’s journey illustrates how resilience and opportunity can converge in the NRL, turning a difficult chapter into a springboard for a defining chapter in a player’s career and in a franchise’s ambitions for the premiership.