There may or may not have been better on a day to day basis (Botica perhaps?) but I doubt many have his kind of record on pressure kicks. How many people have landed goals from the touchline to take TWO Challenge Cup semi-finals into extra time?

I'm not sure I'd swap Foster for Sinfield if there was a kick to win the Grand Final, but perhaps that's just bias. He's kicked some big conversions this year.

Anywhere we can find this years stats on kickers? Sinfield's 89% is absolutely tremendous.

I rate Foster, much as the lad himself appears to rate Sinfield. I certainly won't be banking on him missing many on Saturday.

However, when he's been doing it consistently at that strike rate, and doing it on the biggest stages, for 10 years we'll draw the comparison. He could be the next Sir Kevin though.

The media mention his golden point kick against us quite a bit, but what gets forgot is the touchline conversion he hammered home which was difficult but you just knew he'd land it. Easily the best kicker and one of the best pro's i've seen play the game.

Only bit of the article I disagree with is the "Nobody expected us to go to Huddersfield and win."

These are the kicking percentages for Super League (regular season & play-offs - only players that have had at least 10 kicks at goal are included)

Not sure where GH has got his figure of 89% from however...Jamie Foster has got a better record than Sir Kev this year.

1 Michael Witt (Crusaders) 92.30 (12/13)
2 Luke Gale (Harlequins) 85.22 (75/8icon_cool.gif
3 = Jamie Foster (St Helens) 85.00 (119/140)
Chris Bridge (Warrington Wolves) 85.00 (34/40)
5 Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors) 84.55 (115/136)
6 Gareth Moore (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats) 82.35 (14/17)
7 Scott Grix (Huddersfield Giants) 81.81 (18/22)
8 Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos) 81.48 (132/162)
9 Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants) 80.39 (82/102)
10 Brett Hodgson (Warrington Wolves) 80.13 (121/151)

Oh absolutely, couldn't agree more.

Interesting. So Foster is statistically the best of any player who had 100+ kicks. Having said that, I would guess Wigan/Leeds have scored more points out wide that Saints so Richards'/Sinfields' stats could be skewed.

Fair play to Luke Gale, didn't realise he was such a sharp kicker.

I dunno if he is the best kicker of all time and I await the hordes of Pies stating its the likes of Botica etc. However to be consistent over 10 years is pretty special.

I still think the best kick I saw him land was the one in the semi final at hudds where he landed an 79th minute conversion from the touchline to take us into extra time

He's the best I've seen in RL (not watched enough Union to comment on the other code)

What I like about him is the more difficult the kick and the higher the stakes the more he seems to enjoy it

I don't mind admitting that I would crumble under that amount of pressure so I have nothing but admiration for the guy

Foster is a fantastic kicker and will, if he keeps fit and stays at Saints probably go on to break a fair few records. His attention to detail, coupled with his radar accuracy and solid practice habits will stand him in good stead for years.

As for Sir Kev, what can i say? The guy just thrives on pressure, very studious and methodical, which can be construed as dull and dour to some less open minded fans, but again years of practice and study he has perfected the art of goal kicking and loves the responsibility that these pressure situations bring.

This thread has "Sinfield misses kick to hand saints title" written all over it.

Sir Kev has however been an amazing kicker for the club - I don't believe this has been his best year though.

My fave, was the touchline against Warrington last season....or was it the season before?

Lets hope he comes up with the goods tomorrow!

Exactly. I did. But then we've been playing the underdogs card continually for the last month and it seems tobe working.

Ok ok so Sinfield is a living legend... HOWEVER can anyone tkink of a time when he did miss an important kick?! Millenium stadium ring any bells? Not knocking him, just abit of trivia!!

1 from 4 in this year's Challenge Cup final as well, some of those were pretty important I'd have thought.

__________

Sinfield's eight year record - all competitive 1st grade Leeds fixtures:

2004 - 152 From 190 ..... 80%
2005 - 149 From 189 ..... 79%
2006 - 105 From 125 ..... 84%
2007 - 139 From 170 ..... 82%
2008 - 137 From 180 ..... 76%
2009 - 121 From 157 ..... 77%
2010 - 121 From 145 ..... 83%
2011 - 154 From 190 ..... 81%

If Sinfield is to reach the 89% target set by his demanding CEO for this domestic season he's going to have to kick 138 with no misses during the GF and that seems a little ambitious even for Sir King Kevin.

He's not infallible, but he's still more reliable than most when the stakes are highest I would have said.

What bit of trivia are you thinking of at the Millenium Stadium?

In the two games Leeds lost (2003 and 2005) Sinfield was 100% with four from four on both occasions in those CC Finals. His one miss in eight in 2007 actually resulted in the most unlikely of wins as Tansey followed up to score. Leeds won again in 2008 with his one miss in seven proving indecisive to the eventual result while his worst return at the ground came in this season's opener but again despite the four from seven return another two points were gained from the victory.

Not going for goal is different from missing at goal and I suspect that decision in 2003 is the one you're thinking of here although I'm happy to be corrected if it's another Millenium memory.

The touchline conversion at Hudds to take the semi in extra time was one of the best kicks ive seen!

I thought Halligan was one of the best kickers ever, Ridge was supposed to be as good a kicker in Union as Botica and he wasn't bad in league either. Botica could knock them over from anywhere and probably had a bit more range than Sinfield but Sinny is (IMO) just as adept at putting them over from the touchline regularly. Turning 4 into 6 from out wide must make the defenders under the sticks groan every time.
If I was going to pick the best kicker I'd ever seen it would actually be Kev to be honest. I've watched a lot of Union and the likes of Wilkinson and Neil Jenkins were terrific kickers but it's a fundamental part of the game and if you can't kick you don't play, but none were quite as solid as Kev. Also a lot of Union kicks are from the same place, all lineout penalties are taken from the same position in from touch - only the distance to the sticks varies so kickers practice them like hell.

Having said that I wonder how Kev would have coped with a heavy leather ball stuck in a hole in a mud pit? Lewis Jones must have had a kick like a mule.

Best kicker I've probably seen in this country would be Frano Botica (would be interesting to see his accuracy % though to confirm that impression)

John Woods was perhaps the most natural though. No sand, no kicking tee, no half an hour lining the thing up .... just stand the ball on a divot and caress it over effortlessly. Two points.

You've just reminded me we used to use sand!! God, those were the days.

I remember as a kid the trainer running on with a little bucket and the player forming a sand castle.

I remember John Schuster being a pretty handy kicker. Probably nostalgia but for some reason I seem to remember him rarely missing a kick. They were hardly pressure kicks, but I just remember as a kid being in awe of the man at Thrum Hall.

Edit - I'm not suggesting for a second Schuster as anything remotely like one of the best!!! Just sharing my memories.

Now I'm remembering the early SL days of that ridiculous arms race that ensued when the tees for kick-offs got bigger and bigger until they changed the rules wheh people were kicking the ball from a ladder off an 8ft kicking tea*.

That weird sort of adjustable thing Iestyn Harris used to use that looked like Blue Peter had made it out of bog roll holders and sticky back plastic was my favourite.





* Dramatisation, actual events may vary

I think the key to all of this is not what Sinny`s % ratio is. But more of the kicks he can convert under imense pressure i.e semi at Huddersfield.
On the other hand as already pointed out he did miss 3 "kickable" shots in the CC Final.
Again as already pointed out this has Sinfield hits the post as he slips with the last kick of the match after McGuire scores under the posts bringing the scores 24 - 23 to Saints !!!!!

Hey - don't shy away from your POV.

He was a cracking kicker.

Looked a little bit 'mincey' when he swung his boot but he was very accurate with the boot. Spot on mate.

I'd definitely say I've seen better kickers - Botica, El Masri, even a few current players I'd class as better on a consistency basis - eg Foster, Richards.

However, as GH says on a pressure kick you'd still probably want Sinny to be the one taking it - the ones that really stand out are the last min touchline conversion in the Semi against Cas and the semi vs Saints at Hudds (was it 2003?) that went to extra time (and which BTW probably remains the greatest match of RL I've ever seen)

El masri was a good kicker. Kev for me is up there and he seems to thrive of the pressure and responsibility.

I used to kick for my team, no sand or tee for me. Just had to kick a divot with my heel, and hope for the best!!