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Canberra got run down eight times last year while leading after the one-hour mark. Now they're one of the NRL's best in the final 20 minutes of games.

Canberra have gone from the NRL's faders to one of the competition's best at the death in the biggest indication of how much they've changed their game in 2019.

One of the most competitive sides to miss the finals last year, Canberra lost eight games they led at the 60-minute last year to finish 10th.

Had they won them all, they would have reached the top four.

It was from there the Raiders responded.

Built on situational training under fatigue, Canberra now have the second best record in the final minutes of matches according to figures from Fox Sports Stats.

They have scored 157 points and conceded just 86 in the final quarter of games, and have only twice been beaten after leading at the hour mark.

"We lost way too many close ones last year, and the year before. It's something we had to fix," five-eighth Jack Wighton said.

"I think me and (halfback) Aidan (Sezer) have been really good with that. We are steering the boys around, putting the ball out.

"Putting the ball in the corners and controlling the game well. I think our communication has been really good. I think we've been a big part of that."

Canberra's plan to overcome their late-game horrors began in the pre-season.

While much has been made of the Raiders' more mobile pack in 2019, Ricky Stuart's coaching staff also put their players under pressure in fatigue during the summer.

They were given a variety of situations at the end of matches, be it while ahead and trying to control a lead, chasing points or doing both while down to 12 men with a player sin-binned.

"You train for worst-case scenarios," assistant Brett White told AAP.

"It's just part of what we did and the way we wanted to train.

"If you can handle things at their worst it makes you comfortable for whatever that can be thrown at you.

"We just wanted to make sure that under fatigue we knew our jobs and we wouldn't panic and could handle it."

The Raiders' defence alone has improved by 176 points on last season, going from the fifth-worst in the competition to the third best.

That will all be crucial in the pressure cooker that will be Sunday's grand final against the defending champion Sydney Roosters.

"The last two years we probably had a good structure but went away from it and tried to do something ourselves (at the end of games)," back-rower Elliott Whitehead said.

"We're all a bit more experienced and we all understand what works for us and sticking to it gets the win more often than not.

"We didn't want to come into this season like we did in the last two where we would have a good lead and then blow it and end up not being in the finals.

"Our goal was always to get to the grand final."