The finals are almost upon us and that means one thing – field goal time.

At some point or another in the next month, we’ll be picking over who nailed that crucial one-pointer, and who didn’t.

Here’s my guide to setting up, and kicking, the perfect field goal. Get it right and Phil Gould won’t talk to you.

So first things first, setting up for a field goal as the kicker. No matter who you are, if you’re the one lining it up, you have to be clear, dominant and the loudest person on the field.

If you’re hesitating or quiet, you’re in trouble, because it’s on you to direct your forwards where you want them. And it’s on you to tell your dummy-half when and how you want the ball.

Personally, I never liked standing directly behind the dummy-half or the ruck when I lined up a shot, because you’re kicking off one step in that scenario because you’ve got less space in front of you.

So when you’re trying to generate power from a one-step run-up, you lose the accuracy of your kick.

My ideal set-up spot was from a play-the-ball on the scrum line, which is 20 metres in from the sideline, and as a right-footer, you naturally prefer the ball to be coming from the left-hand side of the field.

Given I preferred to have a few steps as a run-up, the angle works best from that side.

The old Newcastle Knights seven and nine partnership: Johns and Danny Buderus.Credit: Stefan Moore

The kick chasers usually come from either marker or as the first two defenders from the ruck. So if the pass is coming from that scrum line, it’s really hard for them to get to you, and then they’ll only be able to hit your inside leg if you’re a right-footer.

At Newcastle we had a play where I would scream, “Now, now, now. Field goal now.”

Whenever Danny Buderus heard “now”, he knew that was the dummy call. ‘Bedsy’ would dummy to me and........

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