Other than finding an exceptionally talented navigator, one of the best cooks in the World and a musician even Gol D. Roger couldn't find, Luffy earned his crew.
For Poneglyph hunting, I guess Luffy was lucky to have met Kin'emon as it happened. Ultimately he had to supplement whatever luck he ever had with his strength and will. For example, it was lucky that Luffy met Nami, but he had to fight Arlong to get her.
So, I don't think it makes much of a difference. If it was shear luck, I'd have agreed that Roger was better than Luffy. But Luffy had to make the best of his luck with his own strength, and that should make it fine.
The crew RESCUED Kinemon, Sanji MVP LOL, he took him along, and risked Nami's body in the poisoned lake in order to save Kinemon, who in turn is a retainer of Momo, which in turn ended up helping the SH greatly in tying them with Minks and Kozoki Family, and introducing them into the "Road Poneglyph"
The SH worked for everything they got. Meanwhile, someone like Law wouldn't go through saving someone like Kinemon, it was even said that during Punk Hazard, as Luffy was giving the conditions to Law that his crew will do this and do that, save Kinemon, save the kids....etc. While Law is speechless.
If it weren't for these kinds of actions, that complicated the arc for them, they wouldn't get closer to One Piece.
Some may say it's luck, but at least, they fucking work for it and they sure stumble on the right people, BUT because they help them out, because they save them, and not leave them like Law (who's a good dude, but he wouldn't go save people). That's what makes the crew ending up getting allies and even more reach closer to One Piece.
The amount of time the SH put to save Momo and Kinemon as well as making them board the ship to Dressrosa (to pick up Kanjuro), then to Zou (to reach their sworn brothers the Mink) on top of Swirly hat crew saving the Minks life from Jack attack, which Ceasar warned Sanji and rest that saving them may be bad cause it's rumored that Minks are cruel and hate human. I think they earned that road poneglyph
Then, Big Mom WCI, the amount of suffering and escaping by the neck of their teet with some sacrifices. They deserved it
And with Kaido's one, it will be a huge war, well deserved as well
Leaving the last one and I cannot imagine it will be easy either.
SH crew deserved EVERYTHING they got, it's sad that people just cannot admit that, just because they see them as the usual "young inexperienced crew" when they should no longer be considered that.