Tom Starling’s arrest leaves Josh Hodgson’s Wests Tigers transfer in doubt

Raiders star Tom Starling’s NRL future hangs in balance after details of his second Central Coast arrest since December emerge.

Another Tom Starling incident has left Josh Hodgson’s potential Wests Tigers move in the balance.

Josh Hodgson’s mooted move to the Wests Tigers is in jeopardy after his understudy Tom Starling found himself in the crosshairs of police on the NSW Central Coast.

Hodgson has one year left on his contract with the Raiders but his camp have been locked in talks with Canberra and Tigers over an immediate change of clubs.

It is understood the final stumbling block was money but the move is now in danger of collapse after Canberra informed the NRL that Starling was once again in the sights of NSW Police.

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Tom Starling. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Josh Hodgson. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty

News Corp understands that Starling was spoken to by police after attending avenue near the site where he was involved in an incident late last year.

NSW Police confirmed four people had been charged following an alleged intimidation incident at a Central Coast bar at the weekend.

“Three men and a woman were outside a licensed premises on The Terrigal Esplanade when they were refused entry from a 31-year-old security manager due to capacity limits,” the statement said.

Starling after his arrest last year. Picture supplied

“It is alleged the group became agitated and threatened the man several times before walking away from the venue.

“Officers from Brisbane Water Police District attended a short time later and attempted to speak to the group before a 23-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman fled on foot and the two other men – aged 20 and 25 – yelled and hindered police during their inquiries.”

Police confirmed an investigation was launched and following inquiries, three men attended Gosford Police Station at 9am on Wednesday where they were arrested and charged.

Starling was charged with threatening or causing injury to potential juror or witness and behaving in offensive manner in or near public place or school.

Two other men were charged with resisting or hindering a police officer in the execution of duty and one count of behaving in an offensive manner in or near public place or school.

A 20-year-old woman attended Gosford Police Station later in the morning, where she was also arrested and charged with threatening or causing injury to potential juror or witness.

Starling and the other three were granted conditional bail to appear at Gosford Local Court on January 11.

Tom Starling was arrested by police at The Shady Palms hotel last year. Picture: 7NEWS

The young hooker was accused of assaulting police after a brawl at a restaurant on the NSW Central Coast last year. He was initially charged with seven offences, although six were later dropped.

One charge remains outstanding. The NRL confirmed they were aware of the latest incident involving the Raiders rake, who had been earmarked to take over the job on a full-time basis when Hodgson left.

That succession plan is now in danger and fresh concerns over Starling’s future may scupper any hopes Hodgson had of leaving.