Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns has ruled a line through the Gold Coast Titans' top eight hopes for season 2021, while declaring the Roosters won't be a contender for the Provan-Summons Trophy.
The Roosters, who last year missed the grand final following back-to-back premierships, will kick-start their season today against the Sea Eagles.
This time around, the Tricolours will be without their inspirational skipper Boyd Cordner, who's expected to miss at least half of the season as the club looks to manage the three-time premiership winner's recent string of bad luck with head knocks.
Johns said Cordner's absence, along with the uncertainty surrounding the club's halfback position, which young guns Lachlan Lam and Sam Walker look set to battle for this year, leaves too many question marks in his mind.
"I've got four teams who I think will fight it out - Storm, Souths, Parramatta and Penrith. I only see one team out of them who can win the competition and I think that's the Raiders," he told Wide World of Sports' Freddy & The Eighth.
"I worry about Boyd Cordner being out for most of the year.
"The talk about who's going to player halfback? Some of their forwards, just that year older."
However, club great Brad Fittler believes the Roosters have done a good job of developing their back-rowers, which will give coach Trent Robinson plenty of options with Cordner unavailable.
"I like how they've progressed the other players. Their back-row is now Sitili Tupouniua and Angus Crichton, and Victor Radley will be coming back soon. Lindsay Collins, who played Origin last year," Fittler responded.
"They've got Jared Waerea-Hargreaves coming off the bench and it's going to be crucial how they play Jared this year.
"Especially in those positions, you need those [younger] players coming through and putting pressure and getting over the top of those older blokes. I feel the Roosters have done it pretty well."
Meanwhile, Johns also said he expects the Titans to once again miss out on finals football. The club hasn't reached the NRL's postseason since 2016.
The club will take to the field with an improved forward pack, which includes recruits David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.
But with the new faces on the squad, teams "won't be taking the Titans lightly" according to the Newcastle Knights great.
"There are expectations and pressure on them, which is different to past years," Johns said.
"Teams won't be taking them easy this year.
"By all accounts, they've trained really well, but as I said, teams won't be taking the Titans lightly."
Andrew Johns' top eight:
1. Storm
2. Rabbitohs
3. Eels
4. Panthers
5. Roosters
6. Raiders
7. Knights
8. Warriors
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