{"id":904636,"date":"2026-09-25T06:02:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T06:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/904636\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T06:02:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T06:02:14","slug":"huge-blow-for-manly-sea-eagles-after-156-game-nrl-veteran-agrees-shock-move-to-new-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/904636\/","title":{"rendered":"Huge blow for Manly Sea Eagles after 156-game NRL veteran agrees shock move to new club"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kevin Walters<\/a> has got one over Kieran Foran<\/a> and the Manly Sea Eagles after reportedly landing Canberra hooker Tom Starling at St Helens for next season. The 156-game NRL<\/a> veteran still has one year remaining on his deal with Canberra, but News Corp<\/a> is reporting that the Raiders will allow him to leave immediately after the 28-year-old agreed a long-term deal with Walters’ English side next season.<\/p>\n

The report says the deal with Starling is all but done, and is expected to be finalised next week. The long-time Canberra No.9 is set to put pen to paper on a three-year contract with St Helens from 2028, despite being strongly linked with a move to the Sea Eagles.<\/p>\n

\"Pictured<\/p>\n

Tom Starling (second from L) has reportedly agreed to join English club St Helens in a major blow to Kieran Foran’s (R) hopes of bringing the Canberra hooker to the Manly Sea Eagles in 2027. Pic: Getty<\/p>\n

It’s understood Foran was keen to bolster Manly’s dummy half stocks by bringing the experienced rake to the club next season. But the Sea Eagles have limited roster spots available for 2027 and could not free up salary cap space to accommodate Starling.<\/p>\n

There were suggestions the Sea Eagles were exploring a potential player swap deal that would have seen Jake Simpkins head the other way to Canberra. Simpkin’s current deal with Manly runs until the end of 2028, but the move never eventuated.<\/p>\n

Veteran Sea Eagles playmaker Luke Brooks and Brandon Wakeham were other names floated in a potential swap deal. But Wakeham has reportedly agreed a two-year extension with Manly that has yet to be officially confirmed by the club.<\/p>\n

Canberra set to grant Tom Starling an early release<\/p>\n

Starling has been a mainstay under Ricky Stuart at the Raiders, playing 155 games for the club since joining from Newcastle in 2019. And he was instrumental in Canberra’s run to the finals and their minor premiership success in 2025.<\/p>\n

But the 28-year-old has found himself playing second-fiddle to young gun Owen Pattie this year, despite starting the season as Stuart’s first-choice hooker. Towards the back-end of a breakout 2026 campaign, Pattie emerged as a 60-minute starter, with Starling consigned to a bench role under Stuart.<\/p>\n

\"Pictured<\/p>\n

Tom Starling (L) lost his starting role at hooker to Canberra Raiders young gun Owen Pattie (R) in 2026. Pic: Getty<\/p>\n

And it’s understood the Raiders had a gentleman’s agreement in place to allow the veteran to leave early if he was offered a long-term deal elsewhere, paving the way for his switch to St Helens. Starling is set to join former Dragons winger Christian Tuipulotu and experienced Bulldogs playmaker Sean O’Sullivan as the other NRL stars snapped up by Kangaroos coach Walters, ahead of his debut season with St Helens in 2028.<\/p>\n

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