Defeat in a grand final can define a team as easily as it destroys them, because picking up the pieces after your hopes and dreams have been dashed is not easy.
Fortunately for the Dragons, they have had a shorter wait than most to avenge their loss in April's NRLW decider.
A little under five months since they were upset in Redcliffe by the Roosters, the Red V will face their old rivals again on Friday in the first true blockbuster of the 2022 season.
Both sides enter the match unbeaten, with the Dragons doing everything possible to avoid a grand final hangover.
"You don't want to dwell too much on it, because we can't change that result. But we can learn from it and that's been the biggest thing, even from a coaching perspective," veteran forward Holli Wheeler said.
"Sowie (coach Jamie Soward) has put his hand up and said 'maybe it was interchanges, maybe it was this, maybe it was that, maybe there was something I could have done better'.
"It's huge for him to take that ownership, and the senior players have done the same.
"But we can't dwell on it. We have to learn the lessons and change what we can and push forward.
"We have that expectation now, not from the outside but more internally. We have an expectation for how good we can be."
After coming from the clouds to make last season's grand final, the Dragons are now one of the competition heavyweights, with the premiership fast looking like a race between them, the Roosters and Newcastle.
The key for the Dragons to go one better than last start is in their star playmakers — Emma Tonegato, Taliah Fuimaono and Rachael Pearson all produced scintillating debut seasons with the club and must produce more of the same this time around.
It has been smooth sailing on that front thus far, with Tonegato showing plenty of the form that won her a share of last season's Dally M Medal and Fuimaono already showing rapid improvement from her strong rookie campaign.
"We played with not as much expectation as some other teams, with a new-look spine and all, and now we have a bit more expectation, especially on Fui, Rachel and Em, who want to back up their form from season one," Wheeler said.
"The rest of the team has to step up to help them do that, and that's flourishing right now.
"It's the most honest team I've ever been on. If something's not up to standard, we bring it up straight away and nobody takes it to heart.
"That honesty is what makes it special, I've never had a team like that before."
The Roosters have been in imperious form themselves with two big wins to start the season.
Their own dynamic spine has been in terrific touch, with halfback Raecene McGregor and fullback Sam Bremner, a former Dragon, looking especially dangerous.
Given the clash will also be the first match played at the new Sydney Football Stadium, it is rare for any regular season game to have such high stakes.
"The Roosters and Dragons have a long history and rivalry in the men's game and it's become a bit of rivalry for us as well," Wheeler said.
"It's a big game; we're both undefeated, it's a big occasion opening the new Sydney Football Stadium, so there really is some buzz.
"But you get two points out of it; they don't give you a trophy for winning midway through the season.
"We're coming in to do a job and we're excited for the challenge, because the Roosters are flying at the moment."
