Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker knows the success of 2019 has put a target on his side's back heading into the new season.
Canberra snapped a two-year finals absence in emphatic fashion last season, powering their way to a grand final berth.
Having fallen to the Roosters in the decider, the Raiders are far from satisfied and plan on going one better in 2020.
However, Croker concedes the Green Machine must find another level as they are now the hunted.
"We had a good season but at the end of the day we didn't win the comp and our goal is to win the competition," Croker said.
"It's going to be a different feel for us this year - obviously a lot of teams are going to be coming after us, but we've got to adjust to that, we've got to be prepared for that, and I've got no doubt we will be.
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"We want to go one step closer this year and there are 15 other sides that want the same thing ... it's a fresh start."
Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad echoed his skipper in saying that making the grand final was "not good enough".
Individually, Nicoll-Klokstad is determined to improve on a stellar debut season with the Raiders, one that culminated in New Zealand selection.
"I just want to get back to playing some good, consistent footy. I know that I've just got to raise the bar," he said.
"It's been good to get amongst the boys [in pre-season] and get in the trenches and work hard with these boys.
"I didn't get the opportunity [in 2019] and to be able to do that, your bonds go a bit deeper than what they were last year."
Canberra are in the midst of a 10-day camp on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with the air quality in the nation's capital due to bushfires deemed too hazardous for the team to train outside.
In a bid to help bushfire relief efforts, Nicoll-Klokstad has donated his grand final boots, a grand final training shirt and a signed jersey to ALLBIDS in Canberra.
The items have already raised more than $6000 for the Red Cross with online bidding to end at 7pm on Wednesday.
"I haven't had anyone directly affected [by the fires] but it hit home for me," Nicoll-Klokstad said.
He added that it was tough to part with the special gear.
"My boots - I was actually going to frame [them] and the training tee, I really wasn't too sure what I was going to do with that," he said.
"I know that it's all for a good cause and the people or person that gets it is going to cherish it more than I would, I guess."