2026 Goalkicking

[Nike]

With Jamal Fogarty joining us in 2026 it opens up discussion around who will be goalkicking next year.

Garrick has gotten 76.42% in 2024 and 74.39% so far this year, in comparison to Fogarty with 80.00% and 78.57% respectively. If you take it back even further, Fogarty has been kicking at closer to 80.00% over his NRL career, while Rueben is sitting around 75.00% however has noticeably been declining as his career progresses.

I've personally never been confident with Rueben's kicking and know that with his recent return to the wing, being stripped of the kicking duties will probably have his manager shopping around, which leads to the question is this really a bad thing? Don't misunderstand me, I think Garrick is a gun player (winger), he's also part of our senior leadership group and sets the standards and culture but we obviously have room to move on someone in our backline to strengthen the pack.

Which leads me to the question, who do you want taking our kicks in 2026?

 

[madmax]

Ruben……why would you let him go? He’s our biggest points scorer & kicker with DCE as backup. If Garrick goes & DCE leaving who is backup?

 

[Ohgeez]

I don’t think we would let him go without offering him an extension but Perth would pay overs for a player like him IMO. Goal kicker, can cover anywhere in the backline & also a great character with no off field issues. Would be great if he was willing to stay on the wing to finish his career as a 1 club player but he’s made it clear in the past he wants to be a centre & could probably get $600-$700k from the bears

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

Ruben……why would you let him go? He’s our biggest points scorer & kicker with DCE as backup. If Garrick goes & DCE leaving who is backup?

We have to keep him. His awesome chase of Coates on Saturday (when hardly anyone else did) shows he puts in big time. Although he didnt stop the try, he managed to ensure a difficult conversion from out wide, which was missed & ultimately was the difference between the teams.

 

[Pete W]

With Jamal Fogarty joining us in 2026 it opens up discussion around who will be goalkicking next year.

Garrick has gotten 76.42% in 2024 and 74.39% so far this year, in comparison to Fogarty with 80.00% and 78.57% respectively. If you take it back even further, Fogarty has been kicking at closer to 80.00% over his NRL career, while Rueben is sitting around 75.00% however has noticeably been declining as his career progresses.

I've personally never been confident with Rueben's kicking and know that with his recent return to the wing, being stripped of the kicking duties will probably have his manager shopping around, which leads to the question is this really a bad thing? Don't misunderstand me, I think Garrick is a gun player (winger), he's also part of our senior leadership group and sets the standards and culture but we obviously have room to move on someone in our backline to strengthen the pack.

Which leads me to the question, who do you want taking our kicks in 2026?

We would be mad to let Garrick walk. Great bloke, great player. Getting better every year. One of my first picks. Reckon he hurts more than everyone bar Jake after a loss/poor performance. You'll always find a better deal in life, but loyalty is hard to come by

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Garrick is a keeper.

 

[The Who]

Goalkicking stats can be misleading. A team like Manly scores a lot of tries out wide, thus making conversions difficult. A free-flowing team like the 'Phins seems to score a lot of long-range tries which usually result under or near the goalposts. So, to be more accurate the stats need to disregard all easy conversions because I haven't seen one missed for years -- the last in my memory was when Foran was playing for Canterbury.
Perhaps, if you have two quality goalkickers, one may be more accurate from a particular side of the field and you can switch between them to suit their strengths/preferences.

 

[stoodamire]

Goalkicking stats can be misleading. A team like Manly scores a lot of tries out wide, thus making conversions difficult. A free-flowing team like the 'Phins seems to score a lot of long-range tries which usually result under or near the goalposts. So, to be more accurate the stats need to disregard all easy conversions because I haven't seen one missed for years -- the last in my memory was when Foran was playing for Canterbury.
Perhaps, if you have two quality goalkickers, one may be more accurate from a particular side of the field and you can switch between them to suit their strengths/preferences.

This is what the cowboys do right now when both Drinkwater and Clifford are playing.

 

[double hoops]

It's the ones Reubs misses. It's the 5-15 metres in from the sideline. Stats might say there's a bees knees between em, but the eye just thinks fogs more consistent. Good problem to have.

 

[Nike]

Just to clarify I'm not saying Garrick is a bad player at all, I'm simply presenting the statistics and asking the question whether Jamal is a better option for the team.

 

[MissKate]

More recently whenever Rueben takes more time/over thinks a kick he invariably misses. He needs to focus and kick instead

 

[Eagledare2dream]

Goalkicking stats can be misleading. A team like Manly scores a lot of tries out wide, thus making conversions difficult. A free-flowing team like the 'Phins seems to score a lot of long-range tries which usually result under or near the goalposts. So, to be more accurate the stats need to disregard all easy conversions because I haven't seen one missed for years -- the last in my memory was when Foran was playing for Canterbury.
Perhaps, if you have two quality goalkickers, one may be more accurate from a particular side of the field and you can switch between them to suit their strengths/preferences.

Agree
I have lots of Faiders friends and work mates as I live in Canberra, and they should know what they're talking about. They all hate his kicking and never confident when he lines up. They all said he only gets the one in front but everything 10-15mts in he'll missed always hooked it to the left. So maybe Garrick from the sidelines and Foggy in front, problem solved.

 

[Rafferty]

More recently whenever Rueben takes more time/over thinks a kick he invariably misses. He needs to focus and kick instead

Noticed his ball placement looks to have changed as well, has the the point elevated way more, in our house we often say when he over thinks his kick, takes too much time, its usually a worry sign he’ll miss, strange but true one thinks.

 

[Peter C]

Agree
I have lots of Faiders friends and work mates as I live in Canberra, and they should know what they're talking about. They all hate his kicking and never confident when he lines up. They all said he only gets the one in front but everything 10-15mts in he'll missed always hooked it to the left. So maybe Garrick from the sidelines and Foggy in front, problem solved.

So you're basically saying that the guy who can kick them from the sideline might struggle to kick them from in front, so we let someone else kick them?.

 

[Eagledare2dream]

So you're basically saying that the guy who can kick them from the sideline might struggle to kick them from in front, so we let someone else kick them?.

Yep, as he's got a higher % and he gets them mainly from in front. Mate it's who ever is confident at the time, just trying to fix this post. Couldn't give a dame as they are both pretty good

 

[frank stokes]

Saab goes before Reubs (as a winger) imo…
And Reubs is my kicker…

 

[broadbeachm]

Fogerty kicks them from our wide more often. Reubs cab be backup .

 

[Peter C]

Yep, as he's got a higher % and he gets them mainly from in front. Mate it's who ever is confident at the time, just trying to fix this post. Couldn't give a dame as they are both pretty good

I have a feeling that they'll stick with Garrick, for the start anyway

 

[Eagledare2dream]

I have a feeling that they'll stick with Garrick, for the start anyway

Hope so I like Garrick, but as long as we get 6pts I don't care. I was surprised that Fog has a higher %, but it's a good problem we have going forward.

 

[Under the Sticks]

Soft or hard tacos 🌮? Can’t we have both?