Canberra Raiders star Tom Starling reveals crippling financial fight to clear his name over nightclub brawl

Raiders hooker Tom Starling spent three years and thousands of dollars to clear his name over a nightclub brawl, but the impact on his family has been the hardest part to handle. Hear the Canberra star open up on his fight for justice.

Raiders dynamo Tom Starling has opened up about the crippling cost of his five-year fight for justice as he prepares to relive the police assault case that has shadowed his NRL career.

Starling is expecting to return to court in April to testify after two police officers were charged with assault in relation to an incident at a Central Coast bar in 2020.

Starling endured a three-year battle to clear his name after originally being hit with seven charges, including five counts of assaulting a police officer, following the incident which left him bloodied and bruised. Starling’s brothers Josh and Jackson were also charged.

After a lengthy court case, Starling and his brothers were cleared in February 2023, and a year later charges were levelled against two of the officers involved in the incident. They have pleaded not guilty.

As Starling prepares to launch his 2025 NRL premiership campaign against the New Zealand Warriors in Las Vegas, the case is on the verge of returning to the courts.

The lengthy ordeal has had an immeasurable impact on Starling’s blossoming NRL career, but he is fighting for a greater good.

Tom Starling has opened up about his five-year fight for justice. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Tom Starling posted this image to social media after the alleged brawl outside the Shady Palms.

Even if it has already cost his family a large financial sum.

“Mate, it’s cost quite a bit,” Starling said when asked about the financial impact of the saga.

“I don’t know the exact amount but it’s in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Mum had to remortgage the house. I had just bought a house down here (Canberra) and mum didn’t want me to sell it to pay for the case.

“We’ve had to borrow money off people. I know that sounds weird with me being an NRL player, but when it first happened I wasn’t on the money I could have been on. I had only just started playing first grade and was on minimum wage back then.

“Mum has fronted a lot of it and I’ve obviously chipped in as time’s gone on.

“It’s been a lot of money to get lawyers and then the court case went for 12 days so you can only imagine the money that racked up. Then there’s all the other times he had to go to court on our behalf and the hours he put into it.

“My two brothers were involved too, so for one family it was quite a hefty loan.”

THE REMINDER

Starling’s family have driven past the Shady Palms restaurant and bar in Avoca nearly every day since that night in December 2020.

Each time it brings back memories.

Footage captured on CCTV and made public showed Starling being punched numerous times,

Tom Starling fight

Starling, 25, doesn’t like to watch it but knows it will be replayed if he is called to the stand in court.

“I have to go to court in early April and it will be around five years until it’s all finalised,” he said.

“It’s been a long ordeal, especially for my family who have been in the middle of it.

“I’ve been able to escape it a little bit with footy in Canberra and getting away from it.

“Mum, dad and my brothers have been living in it up there on the coast where the incident happened.

“They have to drive past the place every day to leave Avoca. It’s a constant reminder for them.

“The video is full-on and I’ll have to watch myself getting punched in the head repeatedly again.

“It’s almost like you’re on trial again because they’ll have a defence lawyer interrogating me about what happened. You’ve got to go through it again and go back to court.

Tom Starling outside Downing Local Court in 2023 after his charge of hindering police was dropped. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

“It’s stuffing me around because I’ll miss more training but you have to do it,” he said.

THE REBUILD

Starling was 22 and had only played 18 NRL games when the incident occurred.

He has since gone on to become an integral part of Ricky Stuart’s Raiders team, barely missing a game in the past four years on his way to 109 NRL appearances.

Tom Starling had played just 18 NRL games when the incident occurred. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“I did some numbers and I’ve played just over 100 games and for 80 of them I had a court case hanging over my head,” Starling said.

“That has an effect on a young kid. I was only 22 at the time, freshly playing first grade and trying to navigate that.

“I was trying to work that out while having this shit going on in the background.

“It was tough but I’ve got a really good family and support base. The club was awesome too.”

Stuart and the Raiders stuck by Starling throughout the ordeal.

He is one of the club’s most popular players in the locker room and tenacious on the training paddock.

“The club has been very loyal to Tommy in those tough periods and he’s lucky he’s got a very strong family,” Stuart said.

“That is when you find out who is rock solid and who is paper thin.

“Tom has got one of those loveable, rogue character personalities. He is always keen to have a prank, but is also one of our hardest trainers.

“You’ve got to coach Tom to see what he brings.”

The Raiders were loyal to Tom Starling while he had the court case hanging over his head. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Starling is hoping to put the police matter behind him for good this year and play with a clear mind.

“There were times where I was away in court all week, I wouldn’t train and one day I flew to Brisbane on game day to play,” he said.

“I wasn’t getting to train but had to play because ‘Stick’ (Stuart) needed me on the field. It was reassuring to know the club had my back the whole way.

“The boys were great too. There’s nothing like a playing group rallying around you. They put their arms around you and make sure you’re right.

“My family and the club definitely got me through that tough time.

“Now I’ve seen the back end of it, I’m hoping I can bring out the best footy of my career with nothing hanging over my head.”

THE FUTURE

While Starling is still fighting a battle off the field, he is also fighting for his future on it.

He is off-contract this year and facing competition in Canberra’s dummy-half ranks from Danny Levi and rising star Owen Pattie while the Raiders have also been linked with Newcastle’s Jayden Brailey.

But Starling has never been better prepared.

Tom Starling training for the season opener in Vegas. Pic: NRL

The speedy hooker has bulked up and is ready to tackle 2025.

“We haven’t had talks yet but I love the club, I love the place and the team here,” he said.

“The situation has got to be right and the club’s got to want to have me here. It’s sort of up to them.

“I have to go out there and play good footy and prove I should stick around here.

“It’s one of the better pre-seasons I’ve had. I’ve got no injuries. I’m fit and I’ve been working really hard.

“I’ve put about 4kg on which has been a struggle for me in recent years. Hopefully a bit of extra weight helps me mix it with the big boys for longer.

“The mental side of things, not having that hanging over your head is a big thing.

“At the back end of last year I was probably playing some of the best footy I have so hopefully I can carry that into this year.

“My headspace is in a good spot. The team is looking really good and I can’t wait.”