The defending champions recently accounted for Confederates 3-1 in a solid start to the year.

The club know full well they're going to labelled as the team to beat in 2019 after their grand final success over Lithgow Panthers.

Returning coach Jaden Ekert said that target on the back only fuels his team to play harder.

"A lot of pressure gets put on you when you're the reigning premiers but I like that kind of stuff," he said.

"It makes you stand up every game. You can't relax regardless of who you're playing because you turn from the hunter to the hunted."

Pat's looked assured in their opener against Feds.

Paityn Simpson, Sarah Watterson and Ruby Clarke all got on the score sheet in the win.

"We'd only had two hours of skills sessions before that game. To come away with the win, in Orange, with limited training is very pleasing," Ekert said.

"Feds are going to be a good team this year. They're young and fit but just lacking that little bit of experience. As the season goes on they're going to get more of that experience and be a tough side."

Ekert expects things to only improve for his side as the weeks tick by.

"It's looking very, very strong. We've lost Kiralee Naylor, who is having a year off, but we've gained the likes of Carly Hagney who has come back and Paige Hay who has come over from Parkes," he said.

"I've brought some young girls into the squad too like Millie Fulton, who is away at the moment playing under 15s nationals."

Pat's will play host to Lithgow Zig Zag on April 27.