Hazem El Masri, regarded as one of the greatest goalkickers of all time, says North Queensland super boot Valentine Holmes looms as a decisive factor in the NRL finals series.
Holmes, this year's leading NRL point-scorer with 246, has landed 25 consecutive goals. He is striking at 84.82 per cent this season ahead of Saturday night's home elimination final against Newcastle.
Canterbury legend El Masri, known affectionately as "El Magic'', had a career strike rate of 81.97 per cent and held the all-time record when he retired of 2418 career points, until overtaken by Cameron Smith.
Last week the Cowboys had a defensive mindset in a 44-6 win against Canterbury. The Knights were also resolute in a 14-6 victory over the Dolphins.
The knockout final could be tight and decided by a kick.
"Having a reliable goalkicker like Holmes going into a semi-final series is a gold mine," El Masri told AAP.
"I have been watching him closely the last two games and he's nailing them from both sidelines.
"He is calm and collected and that is what you want your goalkickers to be."
El Masri was a master of curling his kicks right to left, but is fascinated by the Holmes methodology where his conversions are near arrow-straight and soar.
"I used to aim at the right post and get a curve due to my soccer background," El Masri said.
"I would let it draw in towards the middle.
"Holmes seems to kick a lot straighter and takes the ball back a fair bit.
"I never had a big kick, but if you can kick big and long like he can it is smart to do that because it opens up the angle and you can see both posts more."
Holmes works with Cowboys great Johnathan Thurston in pre-season, but is largely self-taught.
"I first started goalkicking in under-nines and I have always loved it," he told AAP.
"When I am out there I play games with myself by challenging where I want to kick the ball … not just through the posts, but a certain side of the black dot.
"It is not something I try and look for other coaches to help me with. I practise myself and have homed in on what works for me."
Holmes is in his happy place when lining up a conversion, and landed eight from eight last week in enemy territory.
"Every goalkicker knows there is pressure, but I think of it like I am kicking at training," he said.
"On the weekend it was a pretty rowdy crowd. There is also the fun and games you play with (an away) crowd. If you get to knock it over you have a little smile, and they laugh. It is all a challenge for me and something I enjoy."
El Masri holds the record for most consecutive goals with 35, set in 2003. Holmes is 10 shy of that, but the Bulldogs great won't be salty if the Cowboy passes it.
"If anybody deserves it, it is Holmes," he said.
"There are a lot of guys who have come close, but you want to earn records like that. He is a step above the rest."
