COOPER Cronk is known as the NRL’s ultimate “ice man” for his calmness and poise in a pressure situation.

His extra time field goal to sink Wests Tigers at Leichhardt on Sunday was the latest in a string of similar incidents in which the unflappable No. 7 has dragged his side across the line.

The statistics show just how important he is to Melbourne and Queensland.

In the past five seasons Cronk has kicked a late field goal in 13 winning matches — two for the Maroons and 11 for the Storm.

Round 19

But the numbers provided by Fox Sports Lab show there are others in rugby league who can mount a compelling argument for taking the crown off Cronk.

Melbourne's Cooper Cronk kicks the winning field goal against Wests Tigers. Source: News Corp Australia

JOHNATHAN THURSTON

Johnathan Thurston could rightfully lay claim to being the ice man of his generation.

Although he’s kicked fewer winning field goals he boasts a better percentage than Cronk.

Thurston has landed 11 of 16 attempts (for a conversion rate of 69 per cent) against Cronk’s 14 of 31 (45 per cent) since 2011.

None of Thurston’s winning field goals are more famous than the one taken in the 82nd minute at ANZ Stadium on October 4 last year.

It wasn’t pretty but it was effective, as can be said for much of what Thurston does on the footy field.

And that’s not taking into account the countless times the Cowboys skipper has sunk an opposition with one of those hooping sideline conversions that rarely look like missing.

TRENT HODKINSON

Trent Hodkinson celebrates a winning field goal over Manly in the 2014 finals series. Source: News Corp Australia

The man Canterbury for so long, so often trusted with the ball in his hands in the dying seconds of a tight game.

Roosters boss John Lee and former Queensland coach Michael Hagan joins Ben Ikin, Ben Glover and Nathan Ryan to chat Origin and retention challenges.

Now a marquee signing at Newcastle, of Hodkinson’s eight successful late-game field goals since 2011, six were kicked when the scoreboard was level.

All but two of those were enough to win the Bulldogs the game, while few will forget his magical 2014 season when a game on the line was as good as Canterbury’s with their No. 7 knocking over four clutch one-pointers in the one year.

Hodkinson’s success rate of 53 per cent is also better than Cronk’s and not too far off Thurston’s.

MATT MOYLAN

The Penrith young gun is another reliable clutch player.

All six of his successful field goal attempts have been kicked when the game was in the balance — six points or less separating the teams.

Of those six field goals, four won the Panthers the match.

In fact of the four attempts Moylan has missed only one was to decide the result, while the other three were kicked when Penrith was well in front.

ANTHONY MILFORD

Milford’s field goal percentage looks mightily impressive, with nine from 11 attempts and all in winning games.

But don’t be fooled — Milford has only ever kicked one field goal when the game was actually in the balance, and that was against North Queensland this season.

His others have all come when winning by at least eight points, or as was the case with his 80th minute effort at the weekend, when Brisbane were up by 52 over poor old Newcastle.

FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE

And the men you might think twice about giving the ball to if you need a one-pointer to bring it home?

Both the Roosters Mitchell Pearce (nine attempts) and Newcastle’s Jarrod Mullen (seven attempts) have never landed a field goal with the match on the line.

In fact from 23 attempts between them for their sides, and that includes a 2012 punt for NSW in Origin, they have kicked just one field goal — Mullen kicking a 79th minute in 31-18 defeat of Cronulla two years ago.

Despite possessing two of the better kicking games in the competition, both Adam Reynolds (four clutch field goals from 12 attempts) and Daly Cherry-Evans (four clutch field goals from 10 attempts) possess on flattering records when it comes to drop goals at the death as well.

The NRL’s ice men (since 2011)

Johnathan Thurston: 11/16 field goals at 69 per cent, 10 winners

Cooper Cronk: 14/31 field goals at 45 per cent, 13 winners

Matt Moylan: 6/10 field goals at 60 per cent, 4 winners

Trent Hodkinson: 8/15 field goals at 53 per cent, 6 winners

Anthony Milford: 9/11 field goals at 81 per cent, 9 winners

*all field goals taken after 70th minute

The writers are on Twitter @SimonBrunsdon @dan_walsh64