Kicking a field goal when behind

[Pete Cash]

Remember that game against the Bulldogs where the Raiders were making huge metres but could not score at all. If Campese or McCrone had shot for a field goal on every 5th tackle the Raiders probably would have won that game :lol:

 

[Meth]

It's the sort of thing that is going to be lauded if it comes off or rubbished if it doesn't.

 

[sovereign]

2 points down, 5 minutes to go.

Kick one over, then with 2 minutes to go when you approach the right end of the field have your kicker sit back and when the defenders run up dummy passes the ball to the right and attacker runs through gap created by rushing defenders.

 

[Apey]

It's the sort of thing that is going to be lauded if it comes off or rubbished if it doesn't.

this ^

 

[Dr Crane]

Does anyone else think it might be a good tactic to kick a field goal when you're behind on the scoreboard?

Take the Raiders the other night, trailling by 2 with about 5-6 minutes to go. Why not slot a one-pointer while you can, and reduce the deficit to 1? There's plenty of advantages:
- you get the ball back straight away
- you open the door for another field goal to lock up the scores, instead of relying on a try or a penalty kick
- you get some momentum going, and probably some sort of psychological boost as well (one point is easier to get than two or four)

I don't think it would ever become a widespread tactic but in the right circumstances it could be a match-turner. I know about the Terry Lamb story, but has anyone else ever kicked a field goal when their team is losing?

did this come to mind watching huddersfield kick a field goal to lead by six in the superleague yesterday?

 

[The Engineers Room]

If you are at the right end of the field you go for the try or a penalty to level up. There is no guarantee you will make it back up that end again and the field goal wastes time.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Its only logical if you trail by 2 and think that the only way you can score is by kicking field goals or penalty goals. If you're thinking that chances are you're not going to win.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I love the fact that there is so little kicking for points in league as compared to union, but jeez people are illogical sometimes....it's hilarious seeing experts bringing out the most convoluted Freudian psychoanalysis imaginable to explain how mentally disturbed teams who kick penalties or field goals are.

tbh penalties should probably be kicked more, what are the odds of scoring after receiving a penalty in a kickable position? Are they good enough to justify not kicking the goal? Be interesting to find out tbh.

I can't really see why teams don't attempt more field goals from 30 or 40 metres out. They'd be very kickable with little pressure on the kicker, and "attacking" kicks from this range are often very aimless. Very rare to get a repeat seat from that position.

 

[legend]

Vince Lombardi once said you never take points off the board.

 

[Eels Dude]

I can't really see why teams don't attempt more field goals from 30 or 40 metres out. They'd be very kickable with little pressure on the kicker, and "attacking" kicks from this range are often very aimless. Very rare to get a repeat seat from that position.

Clubs used to do it all the time when field goals were worth 2 points and tries 3. From 30 metres out an attacking kick can result in having the opposition pinned only a couple of metres out from their own line or even a long range bomb which could result in a repeat set. A missed field goal handed the ball back to the opposition on their own 20 metre line.

 

[LeagueNut]

did this come to mind watching huddersfield kick a field goal to lead by six in the superleague yesterday?

Yeah, that reminded me of it. Going from a 5-point lead to a 6-point lead makes sense though, especially as fulltime was rapidly approaching.

It's pretty rare to see a side kick two field goals in a match. That strange Dragons/Eels match in the wet a couple of years back was 2-1 for a while, all in field goals.

It's interesting reading the replies to this thread. I know it's a strange idea, and I can imagine Phil Gould's head exploding if he saw it happen, but I reckon it'd be a good tactical play in some situations.

 

[Sam H]

The only circumstance in which it would really make sense is if you were seven behind with a short amount of time (like, 1 minute) left on the clock. A field goal would get you to within six, and you'd still just have time to get the ball back from the kickoff for a hail mary try.

From memory the Broncs did something similar against the Sharks in a semi at the SFS in the mid-1990s, albeit with a penalty goal. From 8 behind with a minute or so to go they went to six and had just enough time to get the ball back from the kickoff.*

*it is possible I dreamt this.

 

[jk13]

stop giving tandy ideas

 

[Ulysseus]

It's the sort of thing that is going to be lauded if it comes off or rubbished if it doesn't.

I think that pretty much sums it up.
There could literally be a few inches between someone being labeled a tactical genius and a grade A sh*t head who threw away the last chance his team had to tie the scores.

 

[strewth_mate]

Did this once, albeit accidentally, when trailing by 6 in a game of ARL 96. Scored in the next set to win by 1. Therefore I endorse the use of this tactic for every situation.

 

[Jose93]

There is no doubt teams don't make enough use of the FG in RL. You could bore teams into submission when in-front kicking Field Goals over and over. Score a converted try to lead by 6, add a FG. Repeat until you lead by 13. Some might think I'm crazy and over-simplifying it, perhaps, but no one tries it at the moment.

From behind? I can see the idea. Doing it at the right time with some unpredictability is probably the key. 4/6 behind? Keeping the score at 3/5 gives you the chance to the win the game if you score an unanswered Try. 2 behind? More likely to see teams exchanging FG in that situation if the margin is reduced to 1, the opposition make it 2 again.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Canberra should have went for the try instead of the goal- 5 to 6 minutes to go as the tigers were running on empty- i am sure if campese was out there they would have.

That is one of the most ridiculous comments I've ever read on here... It's a final, the kick is close to in front and it would have allowed the team to go into extra time. If the tigers were running on empty like you are saying, then going into extra time would have had more of an impact then attacking the tigers line in the 75th minute.

 

[sooperdooper]

there really are alot of factors you would need to consider...

i have actually encountered it when i coached a young team once. We were about to go into the sheds at halftime down by 6... for an unknown reason our half slotted a field goal.
we went in losing by 5...
we scored a try and converted a goal in the 2nd half and won by the 1 point.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

No.

It's a Union thing that we don't need. I'd be livid if my team were 7 down and kicked a field goal.

 

[gregstar]

steve linnane used to kick field goals when we trailed oppositions.

i'd say we lost more than 95% of the games in which he did this.