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Where does Daly Cherry-Evans' epic match-winning field goal rate in NRL history?

19th May, 2014
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The Storm take on the Sea Eagles, in a game that's sure to be tense - they always are! (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Ian Knight)
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19th May, 2014
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Three seconds to go and Daly Cherry-Evans sinks any chance of a Newcastle Knights’ upset with an unbelievable field goal on Monday night.

Matt Ballin passed it out of dummy half when the clock read 79.55, and Cherry-Evans’ boot struck the ball at 79.57. By 80.00, it was all over, 15-14 to the Manly Sea Eagles.

At 36 metres out and right in front of the post, he took one step and struck an amazing field goal that sailed through the sticks and well into the crowd.

Everybody watching the game was on the edge of their seat, and the moment was exemplified when the Fox Sports commentator screamed “you are kidding!”

The incredible strike, combined with the gripping context of the game, combines into one of the better field goals in recent memory.

But where does a strike like this rank in the history of field goals, in terms of context and the actual strike combined?

Some of the greats in recent history include Cooper Cronk’s epic 40-metre field goal in Game 3 of the 2012 State of Origin, sinking the Blues’ chances for the seventh year in a row.

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Another few that come to mind include Shaun Timmins’ 2004 State of Origin Game 1 field goal, a game where NSW won 9-8, and who could forget Brett Finch’s strike just two years later in State of Origin Game 1?

Darren Lockyer’s grand-final-winning field goal against the Storm in 2006 would definitely make the list. Craig Bellamy stated in his autobiography that as soon as the ball went to Lockyer, he didn’t even have to watch because he knew the ball was going over the black dot.

Still on Darren Lockyer, his messy field goal in the 2011 semi final against St George wouldn’t be considered a great field goal in terms of the strike. However, it was a semi-final, it was golden point, Lockyer had a broken cheekbone, and it ended up being the last piece of play the living legend ever did for the Brisbane Broncos.

In terms of club football in the home-and-away season, who could forget Nathan Merritt’s field goal from next to the sideline at the SCG against the Tigers with four seconds to go to win the game 23-22 for the Rabbitohs?

Or Benji Marshall’s 50-metre strike against the Titans? Let’s not forget Chris Sandow’s 49-metre golden point field goal to beat the Roosters, both in 2011.

Jamie Soward’s field goal in the 2010 preliminary final to break a 12-all deadlock will always be remembered, it ultimately booked the Dragons a spot in the grand final.

Perhaps the greatest field goal of all time however, is Braith Anasta’s famous field goal in the 2010 epic 100-minute semi-final between the Roosters and the Tigers. The Roosters, trailing 15-14 with literally one second to go, gave the ball to Anasta, who calmly slotted it from 30 metres out to take the game into golden point, which the Roosters ultimately won.

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When you add together the context of the game, plus the strike of the ball, there have been some fairly incredible field goals in the NRL’s 17-year history.

Where does Daly Cherry-Evans’ field goal rate with these? Can you name some others?

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