I used to take first regularly as ftp. Metas change and things get cycled through.
The first step is make sure you're in a guild doing heroic aat and rancor. The gear rewards greatly help in your attempt to build as ftp, and last place at the top level is often better than top place at a non-heroic level.
Second, make sure you have a focus. If you're heavily geared for resistance, they'll do well in the haat raid, but are pretty notoriously bad on defense for arena so you'll need to keep in mind that you'll need an entirely new squad there.
Finally, realize that meta change. It might not be in your best interest chasing the current golden ring. By the time you build it, there's likely going to be something else that's top dog. Don't get discouraged. Don't feel compelled to assign every piece of gear you get. Often, you'll be able to use it for a character that's suddenly very important.