The Canberra Raiders aren't known for having the stingiest of defences in recent years.
However, an off-season dedicated to tightening up their defence could see the Raiders reverse the trend of leaking points just as fast as they score them.
In heavy conditions against the Titans, the Raiders were able to hold an opponent scoreless for the first time since 2013 when they beat Parramatta 14-0 at GIO Stadium.
The much-vaunted smaller Raiders forward pack also showed what it was capable of last weekend, while they worked in defence as a team, making 290 tackles at an effective rate of 87.6%.
While not getting carried away with their impressive first-round display, new Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad liked what he saw.
"I was talking to a few of the boys after the game and I was just telling them how good it was watching them from the back defend really well," Nicoll-Klokstad said.
"So to come in to see all their hard work put into the game, it was amazing."
Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker said the side's commitment was outstanding against the Titans.
However, he quickly added it won't mean anything if they cannot back it up against the Melbourne Storm at home on Friday night.
"The conditions suited it (in round one), but our kick-chase was excellent for us," Croker said.
"We did the old cliché of kicking it into the corners and then getting stuck into them, and the rain from start to finish made it a little bit easier to do that.
"Our halves and Hodgo (Josh Hodgson) kicked us around the park really well and the boys got on board and managed to jag a few repeats sets out of it, but the same energy and intensity needs to be there this week."
Josh Hodgson said one of the side's biggest perceived weaknesses in past seasons also stood up in round one.
"I give our right edge a big wrap. They often get the credit in attack and the defences they pull apart with their big powerful runs and what they can create off nothing," Hodgson said.
"On the flip side of it I thought they were very good last week, Joey Leilua, Joey Tapine, Bailey Simonsson had an unbelievable game for a young kid he did nothing wrong and Aidan Sezer I thought they all had a strong defensive game."
