Starman: 'Sky's the limit' for To'a as Tigers end Knights hoodoo

It was four years in the making, but Wests Tigers centre Starford To’a has finally tasted success against the club where he began his NRL career. 

To'a scored a try, set up another and even spent 10 minutes in the sin bin after a squabble with Dane Gagai in his team’s comprehensive 20-4 victory over an under-strength and out-of-sorts Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. 

From a scrum win in Knights territory in the 27th minute, To’a brushed NSW centre Bradman Best aside to race away and score his team’s second try and his fifth in as many games this season. 

Nine minutes earlier, he threw the final pass for winger Sunia Turuva to score and open the visitors’ account. 

“I’ve got a lot of belief in Starford,” Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall said. 

“I’ve seen things from Starford that a lot of centres can’t do, both in attack and defence. 

“Injury-free, Starford is a different guy, and we’re really proud of what he’s doing for us, and improving each week, and getting more match fitness in. 

“The sky’s the limit for him, honestly. He’s just sort of scratching the surface.” 

The 24-year-old Auckland-born Tongan international also made his presence felt in defence in the 52nd minute when he met Gagai front-on and back-slammed the veteran Queensland centre. 

Gagai resented the tackle and both players were sent to the sin bin as their push-and-shove sparked a melee.

To'a was just 19 when he made his NRL debut for the Knights, scoring a try in a 54-10 loss to Penrith in their last game in 2019. He played another 19 games for the Knights in the next two seasons but left the club to join Wests Tigers at the start of 2022. 

After 39 games in his first two seasons at Wests Tigers, ankle and hamstring injuries restricted To’a to just three appearances last year. 

But, since missing their opening-round 10-8 loss to Newcastle at Campbelltown, he has started their past five games at right centre and is forming a dangerous combination with Turuva and fullback Jahream Bula playing outside Lachlan Galvin and Jarome Luai.

“I’ve got a lot of belief in the team that’s playing around me,” Luai said. 

“They make my job a lot easier ... I’m just looking forward to building week to week, and that’s the challenge for us, to find consistency.” 

The win in front of a crowd of 25,960 ended a seven-game losing streak against the Knights, and was especially sweet for Adam Doueihi, Alex Twal and Alex Seyfarth – the three remaining Wests Tigers players from that victory at Suncorp Stadium. 

To’a, who is contracted at Concord until the end of 2026, was also on the field the last time Wests Tigers defeated the Knights – a 36-18 result in Magic Round 2021 – but was on the beaten Newcastle team that night. 

Wests Tigers’ third win of the season pushed them to seventh and, heading into an Easter Monday rematch with Parramatta, restored confidence after consecutive losses to the Warriors and Broncos. 

“I’m definitely happy with the result. That game in the context of our season was really important,” Marshall said. 

“To go 3-3, off the back of back-to-back losses, and coming to a place like Newcastle on a Sunday – sold out, with how loud their crowd are – it's actually really tough to play. 

“I’ve got to give credit to the boys, especially defensively, for going after the game. There’s things we can improve, that need to be better, but we’ll take the two points and go home.” 

A Fletcher Sharpe try in the final minute prevented a shut-out but their overall performance was another step forward for the wooden-spooners of the past three seasons. 

“I was really disappointed with that last try, if I’m being honest,” Marshall said. 

“But at the same time, sometimes you’ve got to put in context where we’ve come from last year to where we are now, and celebrate getting two points sometimes, no matter how they come. 

“I feel like we’re on a bit of a trajectory where we’re still learning who we are, but one thing that’s been consistent, bar 20 minutes last week, was defensively our resolve and effort that we’re putting in for each other. 

“That’s what wins games, so as a coach, we’re really proud of that.”