The corresponding match last year, which was played in round three, couldn't have gone any worse for the visitors.
Not only were they thrashed 32-0 but they lost skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to a season-ending knee injury with the Titans going on to lose their first six matches.
But with lock Fa'asuamaleaui making his NRL return following the team's first round bye, big-name recruit Reagan Campbell-Gillard making his club debut and armed with a new halves combination, Hasler is focusing on the positives for the Sunday night fixture.
"We're thinking positive ... there's been enough negativity over the last five days," said Hasler, with the team forced out of their training headquarters due to cyclone flooding.
"I don't think it's a cruel twist of fate (for Fa'asuamaleaui to make his return at Belmore), it's a game of footy that he's really looking forward to playing.
"He's prepped well, he's done an incredible job, both himself and also the rehab staff that we have ... so he's left no stone unturned and his trial form was good and he played well so he's ticked all of those boxes and he's ready to go."
AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell are starting in the halves, as they did in the final trial game against the Dolphins, with Hasler happy with their budding play-making partnership.
"They're ready for it. They've worked pretty hard in the off-season," the veteran coach said.
"The rules and how much the game has changed with the six-agains and the appetite for attack and repeat attack ... you never know when that's going to happen.
"When you've got three people like Keano (fullback Keano Kini), AJ and JC (Campbell), it should be interesting."
The Bulldogs started with a eight-point win over St George Illawarra in round one and are hunting their first back-to-back victories to open a season since 2016.
They have lock Josh Curran back on deck, named on bench after serving a one-game ban.
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