Re-signed hooker Tom Starling is the right man for the Green Machine to build its forward pack around over the next decade, according to ex-Raiders coaching consultant Michael Ennis.
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The 23-year-old has penned a two-year contract extension which will keep him in lime green until the end of 2024, and the former Newcastle Knight is set to take on sole dummy half responsibilities next year once Englishman Josh Hodgson departs for the Parramatta Eels.
Ennis worked closely over the past two seasons with Starling, who has rapidly developed from a back-up hooker two years ago to coach Ricky Stuart's preferred starting number nine.
"He went from being a guy that was in the head space of filling the roles of when he was called upon to really establishing himself in a short period of time in that Canberra side as their dummy half," Ennis said.
"He's only 23, so by the time Josh leaves in 12 months time, Tom will be ready to step into that position full time.
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"He's got great conditioning under his belt as well, he's able to play 80 minutes and I can see the reason the club have extended him for two seasons.
"It shows that they've got great confidence in him moving forward.
"It gives them stability in a key position which is great for them."
Ennis spent three seasons as a coaching consultant with Canberra, including their 2019 run to the NRL grand final.
He landed at the club around the same time as Starling, who burst onto the scene in 2020 as a replacement for Hodgson who tore his ACL midway through the season.
Speaking to The Canberra Times from Fox League's season launch in Sydney, Ennis said the Hodgson knee injury offered Starling a chance to come out of his shell.
"It was always going to be difficult because he had such a world class dummy half ahead of him in Josh Hodgson and unfortunately for Josh, when he did his ACL, it was the real making of Tom because he got consistent opportunity," Ennis said.
"It gave Tommy the opportunity to really steer the side from number nine and his growth through that period was fantastic.
"He's got great speed and ruck awareness out of dummy half. But I think what he developed most was just his understanding of the ruck and his temperament was something that was great to see.
"It allowed him to really believe in himself, that he was capable of consistently steering an NRL side around in the dummy half position.
"He built the trust in all of his teammates. You talk to a lot of the players down there, they love playing with him, he brings a lot of energy to the side. He's a competitor, he's developed some great combinations with his middle forwards which is critical."