KFC SuperCoach NRL: Which players will be kicking goals in 2021?

Players that kick goals are KFC SuperCoach NRL gold, and the trials have revealed who will start the year with the tee. We rate the contenders for every club.

Pardon me for stating the obvious but while you would never pick a player just because he’s a great goalkicker, the extra points on offer in the category could well prove the tipping point between two players who ceteris paribus are hard to split.

The extra points on offer for goalkickers can turn a borderline keeper into a gun, or a gun into a KFC SuperCoach GOD! Here we analyse the likely first choice goal kicker at each club, their career goal kicking stats and what the SuperCoach implications could be.

NB Keep in mind the 2020 season was limited to 20 games, while in 2021 teams are scheduled to return to 24 games.

BRONCOS – Regular season tally: 38/51

Kotoni Staggs: 18/23 (78.3%) 62 SC points

Jamayne Isaako: 16/22 (72.7%) 56 SC points

Herbie Farnworth: 3/3 (100%) 12 SC points

Issac Luke: 1/2 (50%) 2 SC points

Jesse Arthars: 0/1 (0%) -2 SC points

Analysis: I must admit I was surprised that Staggs’s accuracy was quite as good as it was last year, I suppose as a non-owner I had managed to will myself into blindness regarding this string to his SuperCoach bow. I expect when fit that Staggs would be the first-choice kicker, but that will not occur until well into the 2021 season which would, I expect, gift the job to Jamayne Isaako. Of course, and I don’t want to rub salt into Bronco wounds – honestly! – this was the team that took the leats kicks at goal last year so the Brisbane tee isn’t exactly a stairway to SC stardom …

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The broncos won’t have the services of Kotoni Staggs until later in the season. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

BULLDOGS – Regular season tally: 44/60

Kyle Flanagan* 84/105 (80%) 294 SC points

Nick Meaney: 22/32 (68.8%) 68 SC points

Jake Averillo: 12/15 (80%) 42 SC points

Kerrod Holland: 4/5 (80%) 14 SC points

Brandon Wakeham 4/7 (57.1%) 10 SC points

Tim Lafai: 1/1 (100%) 4 SC points

Analysis: The asterisk next to Flanagan’s name is doing a lot of work because, as most of you would be aware, Flanagan spent 2020 kicking for the high-flying Roosters. The 2020 Bulldogs produced barely half the goalkicking opportunities in 2020 than Flanagan took at the Roosters. While many expect the team to improve in 2021 with a new coach and a beefed up backline, it is still hard to see a huge bump in shots on goal. Prospective Flanagan buyers must factor this in when deciding whether he is worth selecting.

In 2020, GK added 16.3PPG to Flanagan’s average.

Let’s be generous and suggest the Bulldogs generate 30% more shots at goal per game than the 60 total shots (from 20 games) in 2020. A 30% bump would see Flanagan (assuming he plays all 24 games) have 94 shots at goal (3*1.3*24) for the Dogs. Should he slot them at his 2020 rate of 80% that’s 75 goals generating 262 SC points (300 less the 38 for 19 misses) which averages out to 10.9PPG or 5.4PPG less than he scored in 2020. This does not sound like a huge amount but it is around a $50K difference on starting price.

Let’s be less generous, though still generous, and say the Bulldogs create 20% more shots on goal in 2021 than they did in 2020. That would see Flanagan get 86 attempts at goal. Again carrying through his 2020 strike rate that equals 70 goals generating 248 points (280 less 32 for 16 misses) or 10.3PPG.

Jarrod Croker is a reliable converter for the Raiders. Picture: AAP Image/David Rowland

RAIDERS – Regular season tally: 68/82

Jarrod Croker: 63/75 (84%) 228 SC points

Sam Williams: 5/7 (71.4%) 16 SC points

Analysis: Lacking the base workrate of the elite centres, his outstanding goalkicking nevertheless keeps Jarrod Croker on the fringe of ‘keeper’ status at the position. Croker is expected to miss the opening couple of rounds of 2021 and the man most likely to take the kicking tee is George Williams who kicked 69 goals during his 174 appearances for Wigan in the Super League and Challenge Cup. Williams also kicked 2/4 goals in the Raiders trial win loss to the Roosters.

TITANS – Regular season tally: 45/69

Ash Taylor: 36/54 (66.7%) 108 SC points

Jamal Fogarty: 9/15 (60%) 24 SC points

Analysis: I expect the improving Titans to get a few more kicks at goal in 2021, and no doubt the hope is that Taylor strikes them better. Never in the top-tier of kickers, Taylor has slotted 130/191 attempts at a 68% accuracy rate in his NRL career, he has managed two seasons above 70% accuracy and if he can cure his yips more points are on offer. However with Taylor coming back from a groin injury this pre-season it will be the skipper Fogarty who kicks for the Titans, at least for the start of the year.

STORM – Regular season tally: 84/105

Cam Smith* 70/84 (83.3%) 252 SC points

Cameron Munster: 6/8 (75%) 20 SC points

Nicho Hynes: 4/4 (100%) 16 SC points

Ryan Papenhuyzen 4/9 (44.4%) 6 SC points

Analysis: Cameron Smith is gone (well we think he is) and so the goalkicking duties at the Storm, a team that generates an immense number of goalkicking opportunities is up for grabs. Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked 26 goals for the Falcons in 2018 while Munster has slotted 22 of his 37 attempts in the NRL with his most prolific year being 2017 when he kicked 12/23. Both Munster and Papenhuyzen are strong selections without the kicking duties, should one of them take the job they would be near must haves. But it was Papenhuyzen who kicked for Storm in their trial against the Knights, including one he absolutely slotted from the sidelines, but admittedly he did share the role with Nicho Hynes.

Daly Cherry-Evans would join the elite ranks if he took the goalkicking duties for good. Picture: AAP Image/Darren Pateman

MANLY – Regular season tally: 53/76

Reuben Garrick: 41/60 (68.3%) 126 SC points

Daly Cherry-Evans 12/16 (75%) 40 SC points

Analysis: After knocking them over at a promising percentage (76.5% to be accurate) in 2019, Garrick somewhat lost his radar in 2020. I would expect Garrick to be given the chance to redeem himself, but should the radar slip, or he fail to win selection, then DCE is a more than capable backup. In 2018, Cherry-Evans was the team’s first-choice kicker and he slotted 65/83 at 78.3%. Already on the elite border, Cherry-Evans would emerge as a genuine challenger to Nathan Cleary’s mantle as the HFB king if he took the goalkicking job full time.

KNIGHTS – Regular season tally: 60/85

Kalyn Ponga: 43/65 (66.2%) 124 SC points

Mason Lino*: 15/16 (93.8%) 58 SC points

Tex Hoy: 2/4 (50%) 4 SC points

Analysis: Regular goalkicker Kalyn Ponga is expected to miss the opening rounds as he deals with an injury and Mason Lino has left the club so Tex Hoy should take the tee in the opening rounds. I expect Ponga to resume the job when he returns and those that own him will be hoping that we see ‘2019 Ponga’ – who kicked at almost 83% not a repeat of last year’s spray-and-pray performance.

Valentine Holmes of the Cowboys is no sharpshooter but he’s the best option at the club. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

COWBOYS – Regular season tally: 49/74

Val Holmes: 24/34 (70.6%) 76 SC points

Kyle Feldt 23/37 (62.2%) 64 SC points

Jake Clifford: 1/2 (50%) 2 SC points

Gavin Cooper: 1/1 (100%) 4 SC points

Analysis: Val Holmes can kick goals, he just doesn’t kick them at an elite rate with last season’s 70.6% success rate tallying pretty closely to his career stats (75/103 at 72.8%). Feldt’s career numbers (44/69 63.8%) also tally pretty closely with his 2020 output. However after what we saw in the trials it may be Jake Clifford who ends up with the goal kicking duties, with him kicking 3/4 before Val took over in the second half with Clifford off the field. If the Cowboys do start the season with Holmes on the wing and Clifford in the halves, it could be him kicking goals and not Val.

WARRIORS – Regular season tally: 49/67

Chanel Harris-Tavita: 27/34 (79.4%) 94 SC points

Kodi Nikorima: 17/26 (65.4%) 50 SC points

Patrick Herbert: 3/4 (75%) 10 SC points

Adam Pompey: 1/2 (50%) 2 SC points

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 1/1 (100%) 4 points

Analysis: This really feels like the year Chanel Harris-Tavita joins, if not the elite, the border of the elite territory for SC halves and being locked in as the team’s goalkicking option will help. The full-time kicking duties should add around 5PPG to CHT’s output and it’s that, combined with the expectation that he locks in the starting playmaker job, which has me recommending him as a serious buy. However from what we saw in the trials it could be Kodi Nikorima who starts the year with the tee, putting a cloud over CHT as a serious buy.

Mitchell Moses had his issues in 2020, goalkicking was not one of them. Picture: Brett Costello

EELS – Regular season tally: 61/79

Mitchell Moses: 49/61 (80.3%) 172 SC points

Clint Gutherson 12/18 (66.7%) 36 SC points

Analysis: There were plenty of parts of Mitch Moses’ game which seemed a little off in 2020, goalkicking was not one of them. Barring injury the Parramatta playmaker will once again be the team’s go-to kicker.

SHARKS – Regular season tally: 70/90

Shaun Johnson: 56/73 (76.7%) 190 SC points

Mawene Hiroti: 4/5 (80%) 14 SC points

Matt Moylan: 4/4 (100%) 16 SC points

Braydon Trindall: 4/6 (66.7%) 12 SC points

Bryson Goodwin: 1/1 (100%) 4 SC points

Sione Katoa: 1/1 (100%) 4 SC points

Analysis: Who kicks at the Sharks while Shaun Johnson rehabs his Achilles is far from certain. Moylan and Katoa can kick, though I wonder if they wish to risk Moylan’s muscles. Chad Townsend did not kick in the regular season (though he slotted four from five against the Raiders in the first round of the finals) but is probably the most accomplished back-up option with a career strike rate (123/186) of 66% and he was reliable when doing the job full-time in 2018 kicking (62/84) at 73.8%.

PANTHERS – Regular season tally: 83/105

Nathan Cleary: 76/95 (80%) 266 SC points

Stephen Crichton: 7/10 (70%) 22 SC points

Analysis: Slotting kicks at or around 80% is perfectly acceptable as a first-choice kicker in the NRL, but represented a drop of almost 10% on Cleary’s 2019 rate of success. Those of us paying the premium to start with the Penrith star from round one will be hoping he retunes his radar over the off-season.

Nathan Cleary lost his radar somewhat in 2020. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

DRAGONS – Regular season tally: 63/80

Zac Lomax: 63/80 (78.8%) 218 SC points

Analysis: The Dragons were the only team to use just one kicker in 2020 and while Lomax wasn’t in the elite category he was very, very good. Barring injury the role is his in 2021 and the regular points help to make him a definite CTW keeper.

RABBITOHS – Regular season tally: 88/104

Adam Reynolds: 83/96 (86.5%) 306 SC points

Latrell Mitchell: 5/8 (62.5%) 14 SC points

Benji Marshall* 14/19 (73.7%) 46 SC points

Analysis: Adam Reynolds has long been the measuring stick for goalkickers in the NRL, kicking 742/899 (82.5%) over his nine seasons at this level. Latrell Mitchell is no slouch, but he would only be called on to kick were Reynolds unable to. If for some reason they both wen’t down injured, Benji Marshall would likely join the starting 13 and be the man to take over.

Adam Reynolds is the gold standard when it comes to goalkickers in the NRL. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

ROOSTERS – Regular season tally: 87/109

Kyle Flanagan* 84/105 (80%) 294 SC points

SioSiua Taukeiaho 3/4 (75%) 10 SC points

James Tedesco 0/0

Analysis: Having released Flanagan, the Roosters go into the 2021 season without an obvious first choice kicker. Taukeiaho is a handy backup with career numbers of 41/58 (70.7%) and a season best of 27/35 (77.1%) back in 2016. However, TKO should only play around 55 minutes so will the Roosters use him while on ground then a pinch-hitter or look elsewhere? Enter KFC SuperCoach weapon, James Tedesco. If the pre-season trials are anything to go by, when SST is off-the field Teddy will step up to the goal kicking duties, making him a near must have for SuperCoaches. While he didn’t kick any in 2020, he looked solid in the Roosters’ trial kicking one of his two attempts while on the field. He may not be required to take many shots at goal, but for someone who is a captaincy choice for many players Teddy could potentially get an extra 12+ points a game. Lachlan Lam is tipped to start the year in the halves and could be an option, while Adam Keighran is a legitmate goalkicker, but at best is looking at a bench utility spot.

WESTS TIGERS – Regular season tally: 59/88

Moses Mbye: 29/45 (64.4%) 84 SC points

Adam Doueihi: 16/24 (66.7%) 48 SC points

Benji Marshall* 14/19 (73.7%) 46 SC points

Luke Brooks 0/0

Analysis: The Wests Tigers is another club in search of a primary kicker. Moses Mbye is the best credentialed with a career strike rate (140/204) of 68.6%. However, Mbye’s starting role at the Tigers is uncertain following the recruitment of Daine Laurie from the Panthers. Mbye may hold out Laurie as he has reportedly been impressing at fullback, but you would think his versatility sees him ultimately end up on the bench as a utility. Doueihi is no mug, but his career rate (26/40) of 65% hardly fills one with optimism. Interestingly it was Doueihi and Luke Brooks who shared the duties in their massive trial win over Manly, with Brooks kicking 5/6 and Doueihi getting 3/3.