They're the ifs, buts and maybes that make up an NRL season but they sit as a stinging reminder to Canberra of how different their year could've been if they could close out games.
An analysis of the Raiders' year of capitulations shows they could sit comfortably in the top four on the NRL ladder if they were able to close out each of the games they led after 70 minutes.
Instead, they have been left languishing in ninth, some six points out of the top eight and forced to make up the kind of ground just two teams have in the past 20 years to play finals.
In the 10 games Canberra have led at the 70-minute mark this season, they have been beaten in five of them. In one game they came from behind to beat Manly.
Crucially, those losses have also gifted points to the likes of Penrith, Brisbane and the Warriors - the very teams they should be fighting for spots in the top eight with.
It means the Raiders could sit in third on as many as 24 points if they'd converted those five losses into wins, and four points clear of the chasing Panthers and Warriors for spots in the four.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart stressed following the weekend's loss to Brisbane the issue wasn't a mental one for his team, but rather their inability to defend an error.
"It's a difficult one because we're getting ourselves into very good position in games," five-eighth Aidan Sezer told reporters this week.
"It's just being able to hold the other team and their attacking raids and being better in defence and being a bit more resilient than we are."
Canberra face Canterbury and North Queensland over the next fortnight, but then have a difficult stretch that includes Cronulla, Melbourne, Penrith, the Sydney Roosters, South Sydney and Warriors in six of the last seven rounds.
The Raiders were the last team to make the finals from six points out with nine rounds to go in the season, which they achieved in 2010.
CANBERRA'S SEASON OF MISSED CHANCES:
Round 1: Led Gold Coast 28-24 after 70 minutes, lost 30-28
Round 2: Led Newcastle 28-26 after 70 minutes, lost 30-28
Round 3: Led Warriors 19-12 after 70 minutes, lost 20-19
Round 12: Trailed Manly 20-14 after 70 minutes, won 21-20
Round 14: Led Penrith 22-16 after 70 minutes, lost 23-22
Round 16: Led Brisbane 22-18 after 70 minutes, lost 26-22.
