The Raiders lost eight games by six points or less in 2017. They've already lost two games by two points in 2018.
"A hundred per cent, we'll turn it around," coach Ricky Stuart said.
"It's not all about next week. Every game's a really important game, obviously. It's not about next week.
"It's about making sure we don't lose all the effort and desire that's there. It's just not happening for us at the moment. There's little pieces of play that aren't going our way."
Kalyn Ponga is a star
Kalyn Ponga is the real deal.
It took Ponga three minutes to get Newcastle fans out of their seats in round one with a stellar try – but this time it was his seamless ball-playing sending the red and blue faithful into raptures.
The 19-year-old set up two tries for the visitors and showed why he has been earmarked for higher honours – which might come sooner than you think.
The Raiders soon cottoned on to Ponga's serious arsenal and targeted the sidelines with their last tackle kicks. But he still found a way to get involved.
Every time Newcastle were in an attacking position, Ponga was involved – he came up trumps almost every time.
Joey Leilua gone
Stuart could be left to sweat on the fitness of centre Joey Leilua after he left the field with an ankle injury in the first half and didn't return.
Leilua's right leg got stuck under a crushing tackle from Lachlan Fitzgibbon. He stood up but sat back down after a few seconds, before being taken from the field in a medicab.
He had a worthy replacement in international back-rower Elliott Whitehead, who jumped in to fill the void on Canberra's right edge and crossed the line – but then he pulled up sore with what looked like a back injury.
Charlie Gubb's club debut finished early with a groin injury, while Nick Cotric seemed to pull up sore at one stage.
Stuart admits there are a few injury concerns to come out of the clash but was tight-lipped on who isn't 100 per cent.
Attacking weapons everywhere
Leilua might have been out of action for the bulk of the contest, but Canberra's attacking weapons are starting to fire.
Raiders fullback Jack Wighton looked threatening every time he took the ball, and winger Jordan Rapana had his opposite man Nathan Ross' number in the first half before "the Rossdog" bit back in the second.
Blake Austin was taking on the line and evoking memories of his 2015 form that threw him into discussions about State of Origin selection, while Jarrod Croker continued his impressive run of scoring tries against the Knights.
It might not be 2016-esque yet, but the Raiders are showing glimpses of brilliance in attack early in the season. They just need to defend.
The second half slumber
Stuart and his counterpart Nathan Brown could have given the classic "she's nil-all out there boys" speech at half-time and they would have basically been right.
It was Stuart that got the start he was after in the second half. But it wasn't the start that hurt this time – it was the finish.
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The Knights gave away three straight penalties and an error in a horror opening to the second half, and it ultimately gifted Canberra the lead.
However Canberra started to look seriously fatigued as the clock wound down and the Knights took advantage to steal the win.
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Caden Helmers is a sports reporter for The Canberra Times
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