LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
When Tom Starling takes to the field with his fellow players, the sounds of the Last Post ringing out across GIO Stadium, he can't help but think of his great-grandfather, a true hero he never had the chance to meet.
William John Starling, also known as 'Snowy', bravely served in Singapore during World War II.
Captured by the Japanese, he became a prisoner of war and was sent to labor on the brutal Burma railway.
Unfortunately, Snowy never returned home, leaving behind his family, including Starling's grandfather who was just a young boy when his father passed away at a tragically young age in Thailand.
For the 25-year-old athlete, the bond with his ancestor may feel distant, but it's when he puts on the ANZAC jersey, standing tall as a Starling, that he feels a deep connection to his family's history and legacy.