Josh Starling is set to move home after three years in the Central West

The former South Sydney, Manly and Newcastle big man touched down in the region in the lead-up to the 2018 season before inking a two-year deal with the Oberon Tigers before taking on the captain-coach role in 2019.

While he wasn't able to give Tigertown the top-flight premiership it craved, the leadership role he took on at the club taught him a stack about what it takes to be a successful mentor.

After parting ways with the Tigers, Starling signed a deal with the back-to-back premiership winning Bathurst Panthers and was poised to join the likes of Doug Hewitt, Brent Seager and Blake Lawson in what promised to be one of the most star-studded bush footy outfits in recent times.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 put a halt to those plans and now, the 30-year-old family man will move back to Wollongong with his fiance, and two children and looks to link with a Group 7 side ahead of next winter.

So, after a busy three years in the bush, what has Starling got to say about the experience?

"I thought the level out here was unreal," Starling said. "I wasn't expecting it to be easy... some people come out here to the country and think that but I wasn't under any illusions."

Not only were the Panthers prominent to take out the 2020 Group 10 trophy, what made the cancelled season so appealing was the other contenders such as Hawks who Starling was keen to square off against.

"A few teams that had fallen short over the years had brought in some good players... especially Hawks," he said. "It was disappointing but it was also nice to give the body a rest this year."

While he's got mostly good things to say about rugby league in the Central West, Starling thinks the points system needs a big overhaul as he feels the teams in larger towns have an unfair advantage.

"It's all good on paper to try to even out the competition but for small towns with no junior base, it's not fair," he said.

"There's a fair gap between what the bigger and smaller sides are going to have available. Sides like Blayney are going to have to bring players in from outside the area and they all cost money.

"Someone who's played NRL inside the last three years is worth 700 points but then an under 18s Western Rams player is worth 400... how's that fair? The level of skill isn't even close."

"Someone who's coming out of the under 18s might not be able to crack one of those bigger first-grade sides so why can't they go to another club for less points," he said.

Group 10 chairman Linore Zamparini had nothing but good things to say about Starling and wishes him all the best.

"He didn't come out here looking for a free pass," Zamparini said.

"He gave it everything he had and had a really good dig."