The plan for Tom Starling to take over as the first-choice dummy half at the Canberra Raiders in 2022 has hit a snag.
While all the attention in the transfer market this week has surrounded a potential move for Englishman Josh Hodgson to the Wests Tigers from the nation's capital, that all hinged on Tom Starling being in a position to take over for the men in lime green.
Hodgson was set to secure a release from the final year of his deal in Canberra to join the Tigers, however, it's been reported by the Daily Telegraph that Starling is being investigated by New South Wales Police.
According to the report, the Police were forced to talk to Starling after he visited the same site where he was involved in an incident late last year.
While not well publicised, Starling had six of seven charged dropped against him after an alleged brawl at a restaurant, reportedly on the New South Wales Central Coast.
Starling is still understood to have one of those charges outstanding, and the NRL have reportedly confirmed to the publication they are aware of the incident.
Starling spent much of 2021 playing from the interchange bench, pushing Hodgson to lock forward when he came onto the field.
The Raiders appeared at times a more cohesive, better attacking outfit with Starling on the field, and there was speculation Hodgson wouldn't have been their first-choice option to start at dummy half come 2022.
That led to the Tigers inquiring about Hodgson, with a potential transfer in the works, however, the Raiders, with very little depth outside the dynamic duo, would be forced to hold Hodgson to his contract if Starling was unable to play at full capacity.
There has, however, been no suggestion the NRL will stand Starling down for the alleged incident, or that the investigation into the most recent events will cause a change in that policy.
