Tips: Roosters' slipping title credentials laid bare

Immortal Andrew Johns has underlined the slipping premiership credentials of the Sydney Roosters after tipping them to get a smack when they visit Brisbane on Friday.

Johns was bullish about the Roosters’ prospects before the season started, predicting that they’d be one of the NRL’s serious contenders and a lock for the top four.

Eight rounds in, Johns has struggled to get a read on the heavyweight’s wildly inconsistent performances, with Trent Robinson’s men flexing against the competition’s weak sides, most recently by belting the Dragons 60-18 on Anzac Day, but struggling to get over the top of genuine top eight rivals.

So far this season their wins have come against the Rabbitohs (17th), Knights (13th), Dragons (11th), along with a sole victory over a top eight side, the Broncos (5th) in the controversial Las Vegas season opener.

The Roosters celebrate a try in their big Anzac Day win over the Dragons.

Since then they have dropped games against the Sea Eagles (4th), Panthers (3rd), Bulldogs (8th), and Storm (2nd).

Those performances have weakened Johns’ confidence that the Roosters have what it takes to do damage in September and he expects the Broncos to give them another reality check on Friday night.

“Ezra Mam’s back, (Selwyn) Cobbo’s back, Payne (Haas) obviously played last week. I just can’t see the Broncos losing, I can’t see the Roosters getting within 14 or 16 points,” Johns told Brad Fittler on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and The Eighth’s Tips.

On a more positive note for the Roosters, Johns is starting to see signs that Sam Walker is ready to fulfil his potential on the back of arguably his career-best performances against the Dragons on Anzac Day.

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Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and The Eighth, Johns gave Walker the three points – the top score for round eight performances in voting for the show’s Player of the Year award – for torturing the Dragons with his short kicking game, featuring chip and chases as well as deft bunts into the in-goal.

“He just plays. Now he’s inside every opposition coach’s head, every fullback’s head, they’re thinking ‘I can’t defend in the line, Sam Walker will kick over me,” Johns said.

“It was so good to be there to watch him play like an old school halfback with a stick-on beard.”

Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 9 tips by all Nine’s expert tipsters!

Nine’s NRL tipping leaderboard.

Andrew Johns: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Knights, Sharks

Brad Fittler: Panthers, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks

Allana Ferguson: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks

Ruan Sims: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Bulldogs, Storm, Dolphins, Warriors, Sharks

Billy Slater: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks

Danika Mason: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks

Peter Psaltis: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks

The Mole: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks

Ben Glover: Panthers, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Tigers, Storm, Cowboys, Warriors, Sharks