Super League’s 10 worst goal-kickers of 2024 includes Wigan Warriors star and Hull KR duo

Ben Olawumi 23 Aug 2024 6:30 AM

Zak Hardaker, Mikey Lewis, Harry Smith — From left to right: Zak Hardaker, Mikey Lewis and Harry Smith are al amongst the worst 10 goal-kickers in Super League so far this season

There are just five rounds of the Super League season left, with virtually every club having something left to play for.

No doubt between now and the end of the season, there’ll be some nail-biting encounters, with little to choose between teams.

And when it comes to those dramatic clashes, it goes without saying that every single point put on the board – or not – can make the difference between ending up winners or losers.

Here, we take a look at Super League‘s 10 least successful goal-kickers so far this season (10 attempts minimum).

If your life depended on someone slotting one over with the boot, you wouldn’t want this crop to be the one with the tee in hand.

LRL RECOMMENDS: ‘P*ss take’ – Fans fume as Sky Sports make late Super League fixture alteration

10. Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors) – 35/48 (72.91%)

Wigan Warriors’ Harry Smith takes a conversion in 2024

Smith‘s kicking woes have been well documented for well over a year, and back in April, Wigan boss Matt Peet confirmed he’d officially taken goal duties off the half-back, handing Adam Keighran top billing in that regard.

Homegrown ace Smith has still taken a handful of kicks since then whenever Keighran hasn’t been on the field, or hasn’t been up to kicking due to a minor niggle, and overall, his success rate with the boot is the 10th-worst in Super League.

9. Josh Drinkwater (Warrington Wolves) – 10/14 (71.42%)

Drinkwater is far from being Warrington’s first-choice kicker. Josh Thewlis, George Williams and Stefan Ratchford – when the skipper is on the pitch – are all ahead of him. But the Australian has taken the tee at certain points this season, kicking six of his 10 away against London Broncos earlier this month.

WIRE: Warrington Wolves confirm major injury blow with star man set for lengthy lay-off

8. Zak Hardaker (Leigh Leopards) – 18/26 (69.23%)

Leigh Leopards’ Zak Hardaker takes a conversion in 2024

The first – and better performing – of the two Leigh players in this list, Hardaker has only taken over kicking duties for the Leopards over the last six weeks or so with Australian ace Matt Moylan sidelined. Hardaker’s success rate was lower than this before he remained perfect with the boot at Magic Weekend against Salford.

= Tommy Makinson (St Helens) – 9/13 (69.23%)

Makinson very rarely occupies the kicking tee for Saints, but has been called upon 13 times in Super League so far this season, including away against Hull FC, where he slotted the ball over the sticks seven times. In fairness, the veteran winger has missed just four attempts with the boot, but given the low amount of efforts, those four have heavily impacted his success rate.

SAINTS: Konrad Hurrell future update delivered as St Helens coach makes transfer admission

6. Olly Russell (Huddersfield Giants) – 20/29 (68.96%)

Olly Russell lines up a conversion for Huddersfield Giants in 2024

Up until the departure of former Huddersfield boss Ian Watson, Giants half-back Russell hadn’t enjoyed any sort of run in the team, so he’d barely been on the field, let alone had chance to use the kicking tee.

Of the 29 goals he has attempted so far this season in Super League, nine have been missed – leaving him with an accuracy of just shy of 69%.

5. Mikey Lewis (Hull KR) – 50/75 (66.66%)

Of the 10 men on this list, Lewis is the one who has had the most attempts at goal by some distance. He’s missed an eye-watering 25 kicks this year in Super League alone, costing KR a potential 50 points in games. Six of those misses came last time out against Catalans at Magic Weekend.

Make no mistake about it, he’s been one of the Robins‘ standout players this year, helping them emerge into genuine title contenders. But the half-back’s ability with the boot leaves a lot to be desired.

ROBINS: ‘On fire’ – Hull KR boss Willie Peters tipped as potential NRL coach as bold Rovers squad claim made

= Jez Litten (Hull KR) – 14/21 (66.66%)

Jez Litten kicks a goal for Hull KR in 2024

KR team-mate Litten is locked on exactly the same conversion rate as Lewis, with both slotting home exactly two thirds of the goals they’ve attempted to kick this year respectively.

Hooker Litten’s sample size is somewhat smaller, missing seven of his 21 efforts with the boot. Imagine if the Robins had someone like Marc Sneyd in their side (relax, KR fans, we know you wouldn’t have him), they’d win more games at a canter than they already do now.

3. Oli Leyland (London Broncos) – 32/50 (64%)

London ace Leyland was perfect with the boot at Magic Weekend as they beat Hull FC, but his success rate with the boot overall this season is the third-worst in Super League.

Only Mikey Lewis has had more attempts at goal than the Broncos man on this list, with Leyland – who is believed to be on his way to Warrington in 2025 – missing 18 of his 50 attempts to hand him a conversion rate of 64% exactly.

BRONCOS: London Broncos trio among the 19 ever-presents remaining in Super League in 2024

2. Darnell McIntosh (Hull FC/Leigh Leopards) – 19/30 (63.33%)

Darnell McIntosh warms up ahead of a Leigh Leopards game in 2024 with the kicking tee in hand

The only player on this list to have donned a shirt for more than one Super League club this season is McIntosh, who joined Leigh from Hull back in April having spent the first few months of the campaign with the Black and Whites.

Across the two clubs, he’s missed 11 of the 30 attempts he’s made at goal in the league this year, and that’s despite scoring seven in one game for the Leopards – during a win against St Helens in July. Only one Super League player has a worse conversion rate…

1. Jordan Abdull (Catalans Dragons) – 6/10 (60%)

And that player is Catalans loanee Abdull, who JUST meets our qualifying criteria having attempted exactly 10 goals in the league to date in 2024.

Six of those have flown over, handing him a success rate of 60%, but the four he’s missed for the Dragons see him sat rock bottom of this list as the least accurate goal-kicker across the whole competition statistically.

DRAGONS: Catalans Dragons’ French international offered to Super League clubs in fresh recruitment twist

Other unsuccessful goal-kickers in Super League 2024

Across Super League, there are actually 10 other players who have a worse conversion rate than Abdull’s 60%. Crucially though, they weren’t considered for our ranking as they have made fewer than 10 attempts to date.