Reynolds likely for NSW goalkicking duty

Adam Reynolds is favoured to add the high-pressure goal kicking duties to his role as chief NSW shotcaller in his State of Origin debut.

And that is just the way the South Sydney star wants it.

Blues coach Laurie Daley has two highly accomplished goalkickers at his disposal for the State of Origin opener in Sydney on June 1 in rookie halfback Reynolds and Cronulla star James Maloney.

Daley says he is undecided as to who will fill the crucial role of goalkicker.

However James Maloney said on radio on Tuesday he was happy for Reynolds to step up to the plate. And the Rabbitohs premiership winner wants the job.

“I would like to do it,” Reynolds told AAP.

“I’m not too sure what Laurie’s ideas are as to who is kicking goals, but it is a job I would like to have.”

Daley said on Wednesday he was yet to consider his kicking conundrum. But he ruled out the option of a kick-off to decide the role.

“That is a good question. The honest answer to that is I haven’t thought of it or chosen one yet,” Daley said.

“I am not really quite sure. Probably not a kick off. I will have a look during the week and see whichever one is comfortable doing it.

“We are very lucky to have two good goalkickers.”

Maloney and Reynolds are the two leading goalkickers in the NRL and nowhere is goalkicking more important than in Origin.

Trent Hodkinson’s cool conversion of his 71st minute try in Origin II in 2014 handed NSW their first series win in nine years. The season before a missed Maloney conversion was the difference between the sides in the decider.

According to statistics provided by Fox Sports Stats Reynolds’ career goalkicking percentage of 83.5 per cent has come from 364 goals from 436 attempts. That betters Maloney’s 603 goals from 752 attempts at 80.2 per cent.

However this year Maloney’s 61 goals from 78 attempts at 78.2 per cent have bettered Reynolds’ 19 from 26 at 73.1 per cent.

Since the start of last year Maloney has landed 167 goals from 206 attempts at 81.1 per cent.

In that time Reynolds has nailed 72 kicks from 91 attempts at 79.1 per cent.

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