So this is what it's like to have a finals berth locked up with plenty of time left in the NRL's regular season.
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No number crunching. No mathematical possibilities. No hoping other teams win or lose like Canberra Raiders fans have been forced into over the years. Just Green Machine mayhem and setting sights high.
The Raiders are tasting rare air this year, spending more time in the NRL's top four than they have in the past 16 years as they set their sights on a drought-breaking title.
They will play the Sydney Roosters in a blockbuster at Canberra Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with officials hoping the heavyweights showdown attracts 20,000 fans.
If they hit that mark it will be the first time in almost 10 years more than 20,000 have watched a regular season game in the capital.
Why? Because the Raiders' most consistently good season since 2003 has seen them emerge as genuine title contenders.
Beating the Roosters will enhance their credentials even further, but the five-week run to the play-offs will be the most testing period of the year.
It starts with a clash against the defending premiers, then the Melbourne Storm, Manly, Cronulla and the Warriors.
"A lot of people didn't think we would be where we are at the moment, but we believed we would be up there," said back-rower Elliott Whitehead.
"It is going to be a challenging month, but we've got the Roosters this week and that's the only thing we can focus on.
"Hopefully we get a big crowd getting behind us, hopefully we can make them sing and shout and get the two points for them.
"We're going good at the moment, we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We've got a good challenge this week to see where we're really at, so hopefully we can turn up and put a good performance in we know we can."
Jarrod Croker is starting to feel it as well. He can see the Raiders' bandwagon gathering speed on the road to the finals.
Croker, who will play his 250th game this weekend, can also feel the optimism building after the sort of regular season form rarely seen in the capital in 20 years.
The Raiders have spent 16 of 20 weeks in the top four this season.
It's a welcome break for Green Machine fans, who have become experts at the late-season game of snakes and ladders to see if the Raiders can make a late charge to the top eight.
The Raiders went from 10th to sixth in the last five games of 2008. They went from 12th to seventh in the same period of 2010 and 13th to sixth in 2012.
RAIDERS NEWS
This year, however, is different. The Raiders have been in the top five for every round of the season and have spent the most weeks in the top four since the 2003 campaign.
That's why Croker says the Raiders are determined to cash in on their most consistent season since 2003 and, in the process, bury the inconsistent demons that have haunted them for years.
"We don't really worry too much about how we're perceived, especially outside our inner sanctum and Canberra in general," Croker said.
"Canberra fans are great and Canberra is a great spot as it is, but when we're playing well, Canberra is buzzing which I feel it is at the moment. Apart from the perception up north, it doesn't really bother us too much.
"... You want to finish in that top four to give yourself every possible chance to go on from there.
"It's been a good start for us, we've got ourselves in a good position and in a position to stay in that top four.
"It's up to us how much we want to stay there. You can't get too far ahead of yourself, you've got to chip away and keep winning."
The top four carries the bonus of getting a double chance in the finals and the right to host at least one play-off match.
The Raiders have made the finals just once since coach Ricky Stuart took the reins in 2014. The club hasn't played in the finals in an odd-numbered year since 2003.
This season presents an opportunity to break the finals drought and take new steps forward, particularly after building a brick-wall defence.
Canberra has the second best defensive record in the competition this year, a massive turnaround from the leaky line they presented 12 months ago.
TOP FOUR RAIDERS
2019: 16 of 21 rounds
2016: 9 of 26 rounds
2012: 0 of 26 rounds
2010: 0 of 26 rounds
2008: 0 of 26 rounds
2006: 1 of 26 rounds
2004: 3 of 26 rounds
2003: 26 of 26 rounds