Late-game fade-outs defined the Raiders in 2018, but coach Ricky Stuart says his current crop of players are mentally tougher after they held on to beat the Knights 17-10 at GIO Stadium.
The Green Machine had no problems establishing leads during the last NRL season, but whether it was a lack of fitness or poor game management they often struggled to finish off the job.
There were signs of history repeating on Friday night when they jumped out to a 16-4 lead, only for the Knights to close within a converted try when Shaun Kenny-Dowall crossed out wide.
However, fill-in halfback Sam Williams calmed the locals' nerves when he potted a field goal from directly in front to put the result beyond doubt.
"We got criticised a lot last year because we weren't mentally tough, but they are mentally tough kids," Stuart said of his squad.
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"We've done a lot of work in the off-season with those different types of scenarios on the back end of games.
"It's not to say that we're going to win every one of them, but it's nice to get a situation like that where we've come out on the right side of the board.
"When the boys came back to pre-season work, I noticed there was a lot more maturity in some of the individuals that needed it, and there was the disgruntledness of not making the semis.
"I reckon those have been two real ingredients towards the work that's been completed in the off-season."
Five-eighth Jack Wighton typified Canberra's new-found resilience by staying in the moment rather than dwelling on two kicks he sent out on the full, or a late error that could have proved telling.
"He made some crucial errors, and he would have lost his way six months ago. He's grown up over the past six months," Stuart said.
"Jack's next efforts after making a mistake haven't been always quality, but his maturity is taking him into that area where he can leave that mistake and move onto the next effort. I thought he did that really well."
And while Wighton impressed his coach, it's the form of his English quartet that has him beaming after three rounds.
Josh Hodgson was again dynamic around the ruck, Elliott Whitehead and Ryan Sutton were rock solid, but it was new recruit John Bateman who stole the show with 41 tackles, 190 metres and two line breaks.
"I don't want to show any bias here, but I love the four Pommies I've got because they're footy players, and there's a difference between certain footy players and other footy players," Stuart said.
"Some have to win, and others try."
