Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has declared his side has learnt the lessons of the past two years as they look to play finals football for the first time since 2021.
The Sea Eagles won seven of their last eight to finish fourth on that occasion, however they have been crippled by late season fades in the two years since.
The Sea Eagles currently sit seventh on the ladder, three points clear of the ninth-placed Dolphins and Cherry-Evans said they will have no excuses if they drop out of the eight.
"We need to take the lessons from previous years," Cherry-Evans said. "We put ourselves in a position to make finals the last couple of years and just weren't good enough.
"Where our side's at, we'll have no one to blame [if we don't play finals]. It's as simple as that.
"Every team's season is on themselves but this situation we've put ourselves in is a really good one so we need to take that experience from the last couple of years of what didn't go right."
2021 season review: Sea Eagles
Manly's impressive finish to the 2021 season had the side full of confidence ahead of the 2022 campaign and they started to year in a positive manner.
After 18 rounds they were in eighth place before a Round 19 loss to the Dragons was followed by the pride jersey saga that derailed Manly's season and ultimately ended Des Hasler's tenure as coach.
The Sea Eagles lost their final seven games to finish 11th.
Anthony Seibold's arrival promised greener pastures in 2023, but injuries and a new structure prevented the side from hitting top gear.
Inconsistency crippled their run to the finals, Manly losing three-straight from Rounds 23 to 25 to end their top-eight chances. While they won their last two matches, it was too little, too late.
It left a bitter taste in their mouths and hooker Lachlan Croker said it's not one they want to experience this year.
"It's a weird feeling if you don't make it and you're sitting at the pub watching teams playing in a final or grand final, especially when you felt like you were that close," Croker told NRL.com.
"We've felt it a few times now and don't want to have to feel it again.
"The feeling of playing finals is something every player wants. Holding on to that will put us in good stead for the back end of this year. Now it's time to let our performances do the talking. If we're serious about what we feel like we can do, it starts this weekend."
The Sea Eagles have taken another step forward this year, the arrival of a number of new recruits adding depth and injecting more versatility to the roster.
Five-eighth Luke Brooks has provided Cherry-Evans with an elite right-hand man and has revelled without the burden of having to carry the entire playmaking responsibilities.
Luke Brooks Highlights vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Fellow former Tiger Tommy Talau is a new man in Manly and is living up to the potential that saw him make his NRL debut as a 19-year-old in 2019.
Veteran Nathan Brown has added starch through the middle after signing a train and trial deal in the summer.
It's not just the new recruits who have made an impact, with a host of players elevating their game as they gain more experience in the NRL.
Jason Saab, Ethan Bullemor, Haumole Olakau'atu and Taniela Paseka have all made big strides and are in and around the crucial 100-game mark.
The stars have also stood up, with Tom Trbojevic healthy and refreshed after returning from a hamstring injury, and Cherry-Evans continuing to age like a fine wine.
Tom Trbojevic as advertised
Olakau'atu made his State of Origin debut earlier this year and said all the pieces are falling into place for this Manly side.
"Every year you get better, bigger, stronger and fitter," he told NRL.com. "I have full faith the boys are made for finals and we've got a lot of experienced players that have played in finals in previous years.
"With extra add ons like Brooks and Nathan Brown, we've got a lot of experience and strike weapons across the park. I don't want to jump the gun but I feel like the boys are up for the challenge and hopefully we make it to the finals."
A refreshed Manly travelled to Canberra on Thursday off a well-timed bye and ready to start a five-week sprint to the finals.
The Sea Eagles likely need to win three of their remaining games to secure a top-eight finish.
Match: Raiders v Sea Eagles
Round 23 -
home Team
Raiders
10th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
6th Position
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
After Saturday's clash in Canberra, Manly play the Warriors at home, then the Tigers, Bulldogs and Sharks to finish off.
Their next three matches are against teams sitting beneath them on the ladder and three wins would also have the side in the mix for a top-four finish.
It's an exciting prospect but it's one Manly players are eager not to spend too much time thinking about.
Olakau'atu concedes it's something that derailed their finals quest throughout the past two years, with the squad looking towards September before securing their place in the eight.
For Cherry-Evans, it's a mistake their determined to ensure does not happen again.
Daly Cherry-Evans Try
"It's a priority to stay focused on each game but we're also aware of what's at stake and what we need to do," he said. "We have spoken about where we want to finish this season.
"We've got to improve to play finals and not just play finals but get to finals and be really competitive. We've identified where we've got to get better and that's going to keep us narrowly focused on each week.
"We want to build throughout the next five weeks, we want to play some really good footy but also know we want to play our best footy in five to six weeks' time."
