Canberra are quickly approaching "now or never" status if they're to avoid having a number of club champions finish their careers without an NRL premiership.
Iconic Raiders Jack Wighton and Josh Papali'i are both aged 30 while skipper Elliott Whitehead and Jordan Rapana are 33, meaning four core members of the 2019 grand final side could leave the game without a flag unless they can strike in the next couple of seasons.
Canberra backed up the 2019 grand final effort with a preliminary final appearance the following year, and addressed fears their window had already shut after slumping to 10th in 2021 with a semi-final run last year.
Pressure on Raiders to cap champion careers with titles
Panthers' regression sets stage for closest NRL season ever
It's been two long years of Penrith Panthers dominance, but will a raft of key departures take its toll and bring the back-to-back reigning premiers back to the field?
Let's certainly hope so. Another season of the arrogant Panthers losing less than a handful of games would make for tough watching.
But the departures of several key players - Viliame Kikau and Apisai Koroisau - in the off-season, on the back of losing Matt Burton last year, could see them drop back to a chasing pack.
Raiders skipper backs young gun to shine in fullback's injury absence
Elliott Whitehead jokes he's surprised Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart hasn't given him the No.1 jersey - given he's used the versatile Englishman everywhere else.
But then the Raiders co-captain quickly turns to backing Sebastian Kris to get the fullback job done in Xavier Savage's (jaw) absence.
