This was published 9 years ago
Canterbury Bulldogs halfback Trent Hodkinson is the new iceman
By Brad Walter
Cometh the hour, cometh the Iceman.
Canterbury halfback Trent Hodkinson is the best clutch player in the NRL after his match-winning feats for NSW and the Bulldogs this season.
Hodkinson, who took on the Queensland defence to score in the 71st minute of Origin II and then ended eight years of Maroons domination when he converted from out wide, was again the hero when he kicked two field goals for Canterbury in Saturday night's elimination of his former club Manly.
It was the third time Hodkinson has won a match for the Bulldogs this season after successfully landing field goals in the 21-20 round six defeat of the Warriors and 15-14 round seven triumph against South Sydney.
The golden point win was also the third time in his career that Hodkinson has kicked two field goals to win a game for his team, after previously doing so in the Sea Eagles' 26-25 victory against South Sydney in 2010 and Canterbury's 8-7 defeat of Parramatta in 2011.
In fact, the only time Hodkinson has been on the losing team in the 10 NRL matches that he has kicked a field goal was last year's 16-11 round 26 loss to Brisbane.
"I have done it a few times now," Hodkinson said. "I have got a lot of confidence in having that pressure on my shoulders, I guess. I think being a goal kicker growing up has definitely helped in regards to my field goals."
After kicking his first goal against Manly in the 75th minute of last Saturday night's semi-final, Hodkinson then overcalled Bulldogs and Blues halves partner Josh Reynolds for the pass from James Graham to slot the match winner. He had also overcalled Reynolds for the ball in Origin II before using a show and go to beat Maroons forward Ben Te'o and cross for the only try in NSW's historic 6-4 win at ANZ Stadium.
"I had heard Trent saying the set before that next time we were in field position, he wanted the ball. I don't think he had too much faith in Josh there," Graham said. "He is cool and calm under pressure. He did it in State of Origin coming up with that try, and he has done it before for us with a couple of drop goals to win games earlier in the season. For him to say he wants the ball, I definitely wouldn't want that pressure, because if you miss it now it is seven tackles. But nothing fazes him."
Interchange forward Greg Eastwood said: "He practises that off the field when no one is around, and for him to be able to slot one of those under that much pressure, you are thankful to have a player like that in your team."
Hodkinson, Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston have all landed four field goals this season, with the latter boasting a 100 per success rate.
In comparison, the Bulldogs star missed with field goal attempts in the 30-20 round 24 win over Wests Tigers and the 19-18 round 26 loss to Gold Coast, while Cherry-Evans has been unsuccessful on three occasions this season.
But Hodkinson has kicked 13 from 17 attempts in his career, compared to six from nine attempts by Thurston and 10 from 25 attempts by Cherry-Evans, according to statistician Graham Smith.
The 26-year-old Canterbury playmaker also has the best strike rate of all goalkickers from out wide, with Smith's statistics revealing that he has landed 29 goals from 41 attempts taken within 10 metres of the sideline in NRL matches this season.
In comparison, Thurston has kicked 29 goals from 51 attempts taken out wide, and Canberra centre Jarrod Croker has kicked 24 from 32 attempts.
2014 FIELD GOALS
Player FGs Attempts
Johnathan Thurston 4 4
Trent Hodkinson 4 6
Daly Cherry-Evans 4 7
Gareth Widdop 3 3
Cooper Cronk 3 4
Matt Moylan 3 5
Adam Reynolds 3 7
Braith Anasta 2 2
James Maloney 2 3
Anthony Milford 2 3
* source: Graham Smith
GOAL KICKS FROM WITHIN 10 METRES OF SIDELINE
Player Goals Attempts
Trent Hodkinson 29 41
Johnathan Thurston 29 51
Jarrod Croker 24 32
Cameron Smith 23 47
Jamie Soward 22 39
Shaun Johnson 22 39
James Maloney 21 36
Chris Sandow 20 40
Corey Parker 20 45
Gareth Widdop 19 49
Jamie Lyon 17 43
Michael Gordon 16 27
Kurt Gidley 14 32
Adam Reynolds 11 30
* source: Graham Smith