It is the most wide open NRL finals series Gorden Tallis has seen but the Brisbane great still believes an injury-hit North Queensland will need to pull off "a Steven Bradbury" to win the 2017 premiership.
Ex-Test captain Tallis tipped Penrith and Cronulla to cause finals headaches in what he believed was a seven-horse race for the title.
However, Tallis says the Cowboys would need all the luck of a certain Australian speed skater to claim a second title in three years after they fell over the line in the finals race.
Hit with an injury list that ballooned out to 12 players three weeks ago, North Queensland had to rely on other results going their way to scrape into the top eight after losing five of their last six games.
No eighth-placed team has ever got past the first week under the current system adopted in 2012.
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Tallis can't see North Queensland bucking the trend when they line up against defending champions Cronulla at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
"It hurts me to say it but I think the Cowboys are going to need a lot of luck - it would be a Steven Bradbury if they won the grand final," he said.
"I think every other team has a genuine chance - it is really open.
"Cronulla can go back-to-back. Cronulla are tough and proved last year that they can get down and dirty with anyone.
"And Penrith, if they get it right I think they are the most skilful, natural football side in the competition."
The not-so-flattering assessment came after Queensland coach Kevin Walters described the depleted Cowboys as finals "cannon fodder".
But Cowboys coach Paul Green said their self-belief was as strong as ever before meeting Cronulla in a third straight finals series.
Besides, Green believes all the pressure is on the Sharks.
Green has had the luxury of being able to name the same 17 with winger Antonio Winterstein (hamstring), fullback Lachlan Coote (ankle) and five-eighth Te Maire Martin (knee) all expected to play.
"That's been no different all year," Green said of the Cowboys' self belief.
"Whoever loses your season is finished so we've got just as much to lose as they (Cronulla) have.
"But they deserve to be favourites.
"They're the current premiers and we're not at full strength so we don't have that pressure of expectation on us which is a good way to go into games."
