Tom Starling says he has ‘always been an admirer of Super League’, revealing a phone call from Kevin Walters convinced him to make the move to St Helens as he sought an exit from Canberra Raiders.

Hooker Starling has penned a three-year deal with Saints from 2027, and will make the move to the BrewDog Stadium at the same time as new head coach Walters, who is currently leading Australia’s Rugby League World Cup campaign.

The 28-year-old made his NRL bow back in 2018 for Newcastle Knights having come through their youth ranks, but his other 155 first-grade appearances at club level have all come for Canberra, with 17 tries scored.

He departed the Raiders having been informed Owen Pattie would be ahead of him in the pecking order by head coach Ricky Stuart, and has now explained how his switch to Saints came about.

‘Kevvy caught wind of it and just gave me a call. He asked if I’d be interested in heading over there with him’

Windsor-born Starling represented Australia’s Prime Minister’s XIII at the end of 2025, but missed out on selection in Walters’ Kangaroos squad for the Ashes Series against England later that autumn.

Before he makes the move to the UK, incoming Saints star was the guest on the latest episode of the Chad Townsend Show, a podcast hosted by the 2016 NRL champion.

Starling explained: “I had in the back of my mind that my time was probably up in Canberra.

“I know the club wanted me to stay there, but just personally, I thought it was better for me to go.

“It was sort of happening a little bit behind the scenes, nothing too crazy, I was waiting until the end of the season.

“Kevvy (Kevin Walters) caught wind of it and just gave me a call. He asked if I’d be interested in heading over there with him.”

The hooker – who will turn 29 in June – will form part of a rebuild on Merseyside, joining Saints on the back of a year which saw them miss out on the Super League play-offs for the first time ever.

New boss Walters has bolstered his squad with the signings of Christian Tuipulotu from St George Illawarra Dragons and Sean O’Sullivan from Canterbury Bulldogs as well as Starling and Catalans Dragons star Solomona Faataape.

Starling added: “I’ve always been an admirer of Super League, I’ve always thought it was a great competition and I’m a footy nerd, I’ll get up and watch the games.

“I’ll watch the replays and I’ve got a few mates over there, so I’ve always admired Super League from afar.

“I thought I’d be there at one point in my career, and whenever that was, I was open to whenever.”