Super League: The top five in-play kickers of all-time

In-play kicking is an essential part of the game. The best kickers have the ball under their spell, able to pick the smallest patches of uncovered turf in the opponent’s backfield. Over the years, the Super League has been blessed with some wonderful kickers, who always seem to know where to put the ball when their side needs it.

A good kicker can control a game, whether through a kick to the corner to pin the opponent in their own 10 metres, a defence-turning kick from deep in their half, or a pressure-relieving 40/20.

An average side can become great with the right kicker, whereas an otherwise great side becomes average without it.

In honour of some of these great in-play kickers, here is a rundown of the best five to have laced up their boots in the history of the Super League.

Lee Briers

By any metric, Lee Briers is one of the great kickers in Super League history. Across his 16-year career with St Helens and, most famously, Warrington Wolves, his boot lifted his side to victory on so many occasions. Briers still holds the record for the most drop-goals in Super League history. Having kicked a remarkable 70 throughout his career. Marc Sneyd is in second place on the list but remains a long way behind Briers.

Perhaps his most memorable performance came in the 2010 Challenge Cup final. Warrington beat the Leeds Rhinos 30-6 and Briers, almost single-handedly, kicked the Wire to a famous Wembley win. Briers’ masterful performance saw him win the Lance Todd Trophy for Man of the Match, securing 34 of the 40 votes places for his performance. His deftly weighted kick set up the first try for Atkin, and this set the tone for a brilliant performance.

Sadly for Briers, he was never able to lay his hands on the Grand Final trophy. However, this does not detract from a brilliant career. Briers is now an assistant coach with the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. Their half-backs are sure to be picking up plenty of pearls of wisdom from this maestro.

Kevin Sinfield

One moment, more than any, sticks in the mind when thinking of Kevin Sinfield’s kicking game. With the treble on the line, Leeds met St Helens at Headingley in the 2015 play-off semi-final. with 15 minutes to go, and Saints leading by 13-8 and well on top, Leeds needed a miracle. As he had done so often in his career, Kevin Sinfield stepped up when the Rhinos needed him most.

With the ball deep inside the Rhinos half, Sinfield kicked a perfect 40/20 to lift a Leeds side who looked out on their feet. The kick proved the boost Leeds needed as they turned the game on its head, eventually running out 20-13 winners. It was a fitting end to Sinfield’s last home game for the Rhinos, in front of the old South Stand.

Sinfield’s kicking was crucial to the Rhinos Golden Generation. So often, Sinfield kicks to the corner pinned opponents into the corner, allowing the Rhinos the opportunity to build pressure on their opponents. His masterful performance in the 2012 Grand Final saw him win man of the match, despite picking up an early head injury.

When there was a big game to win, there were few better than Sinfield.

Marc Sneyd

Salford Red Devils have defied expectations that they would struggle this season, and Marc Sneyd has played a huge part in their play-off push. Sneyd has been incredibly consistent since making his debut for Salford back in 2010. Through spells with the Red Devils, Castleford Tigers and Hull FC, Sneyd has proved himself to be one of the great kickers of the Super League era.

In 2014, Sneyd had his real breakthrough season whilst on loan at the Catalans Dragons. He was instrumental in the Tigers’ run to the 2014 Challenge Cup final, where they succumbed to a defeat against Leeds. However, his move to Hull gave him the opportunity to finally get his hands on the trophy. Hull won back to back Challenge Cups in 2016 and 2017, and Sneyd won the Lance Todd Trophy in both games.

Sneyd has a wand of a left foot, and is in complete control of the ball when kicking out of hand. There are few players currently playing in Super League who are at a similar level. He returned home to Salford in 2022, he will be keen to help them get their hands on some silverware now he has returned.

Danny Brough

For such a talented player, it is something of a surprise that Danny Brough never played for one of the so-called big teams in Super League. Brough had a more nomadic career than some of the other names on this list, however that should not detract from his ability. Brough had one of the best boots in Super League.

Having started his career with the Dewsbury Rams, he played over 500 first team games in a career which included spells with Hull FC, Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity. He was instrumental in Hull’s famous 2005 Challenge Cup 25-24 win against Leeds, kicking four goals and a drop goal.

Brough won the 2013 Man of Steel, in recognition for his role in Huddersfield’s run to the League Leaders’ Shield that season. He was also named in the Super League Dream Team in 2013 and 2015.

Like Lee Briers, although he never managed to win the Super League title, Brough remains one of the best in-play kickers in Super League history.

Sean Long

To butcher a phrase from football, there are great scorers of drop-goals, and there are scorers of great drop-goals. Whilst Briers was a prolific drop-goal scorer, Sean Long had a habit of coming up with crucial one pointers when it really mattered.

This was never more true than in the 2002 Grand Final. With just 60 seconds left on the clock, Bradford Bulls and St Helens were locked in a titanic battle, with the score tied on 18-18. Long had missed an earlier conversion in the 66th minute, which would have given Saints a two point lead. He did not miss his second chance. Kieron Cunningham threw the ball back to Long, who made no mistake, winning the big prize for Saints.

Long also won the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance during Saints’ 2006 Challenge Cup Final victory over Huddersfield. After the game, team-mat Jon Wilkin stated that “Sean Long’s kicking game kept the pressure off, he has improved no end and has matured into one of the best players in the world. It’s a privilege to be in the same team as him”.

He was another player who could always be relied upon to deliver with the boot when his team needed him.