Brisbane’s top four hopes took a considerable hit on Thursday night as they fell 34-16 to Sydney at the SCG.
With last week’s loss to the Wests Tigers compounded by last night's defeat, the Broncos now sit fifth with Parramatta and South Sydney set to jump them with Round 21 wins.
Now just one game ahead of Sydney and two games ahead of ninth-placed Canberra who have a game in hand, Greg Alexander believes Kevin Walters’ side has blown their chances of top four and in doing so the premiership.
“The Broncos are certainly looking wobbly I would say,” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“Prior to their loss to the Tigers last week, I genuinely thought they could challenge the best teams in the competition.
“For the run that they’d been on, winning eight of ten games to put themselves in position to make the top four, I really thought they were the real deal.
“Now they’ve been beaten by the Tigers and were beaten pretty comfortably last night, they were blown off the park in the first 20 minutes.
“The stats certainly didn’t help Brisbane, they had no ball, and the Roosters were good enough to score three tries in that period.
“They’re wobbly, I won’t say they’re gone, but I don’t think they can win the comp.”
While the Roosters sit one game behind the Broncos, Alexander is far more bullish of their premiership hopes now that Luke Keary is finding form and that they have their first-choice spine all available for selection.
“As for the Roosters, I think they are back,” Alexander said.
“The key to the Roosters is Luke Keary, Luke is a great player, an outstanding player.
“If Keary can continue the footy that he was playing before his head knock against the Melbourne Storm and continue troubling defences as he did last night … then I think the Roosters are the real deal.
“Prior to kick-off this year, I thought the Roosters were going to be one of the best three teams in the comp and I think off last night they can be.”
The Roosters next face the Cowboys at home while the Broncos will be desperate to get back on the winner’s list when they host the Knights next Saturday night.