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.