The NRL’s introduction of the two-point field goal for successful kicks from beyond the 40-metre line was derided as one of the more pointless rule changes of recent times.
But despite the assumption that it would be a rarely-used commodity, we’ve already seen Adam Reynolds boot the first two-point field goal in Round 5 and Nathan Cleary slot a crucial deadlock-breaker a week later.
To celebrate the elusive art of the field goal, Will Evans from This Warriors Life ranks the best exponents of the NRL era in this week’s Zero Tackle Top 8.
Some the most clutch, sweet-striking field goal kickers of the modern era, including Shaun Johnson, Anthony Milford, and icon match-winners Johnathan Thurston and Andrew Johns, couldn’t squeeze into this list.
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And give Will's other Top 8 stories a read below!
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Without further ado, here is this week's edition: field goal exponents.
5. Cooper Cronk
The only player on this list to not regularly handle the goalkicking duties at some point during their career, Cronk was nevertheless one of the cleanest field goal strikers around during a 372-game NRL tenure.
Seven of Cronk’s 21 first grade field proved the difference in one-point victories – including a pair of one-pointers in the Storm’s 18-17 victory over the Panthers in 2014. But his best – and rivalling Shaun Timmins’ 2004 effort as the greatest in Origin history – was a brilliant 40-metre dagger to win Queensland the 2012 decider.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5Lb8mS20JI
