ERIN Naden knows she and her St Pat's team-mates are the outfit everyone wants to beat in this year's Group 10 league tag premiership, yet it is not something which worries her.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Instead of feeling the weight of expectation as the Saints try to build on a 2018 campaign that saw them crowned undefeated premiers, Naden says her side are sticking to the same hard-working approach which delivered them so much success.
It is an approach which has seen the Saints win their first two matches of the 2019 season.
"We don't really worry about the pressure that much, but I guess being undefeated means we have a target on out backs," Naden said.
"That just means we have to keep playing strong, but we know we've got a good team so we don't really stress out too much."
After posting a 40-4 season-opening win over Orange CYMS, the Saints backed it up on Good Friday with a 24-6 victory over Lithgow at Jack Arrow Sporting Complex.
Naden was one of four Saints who crossed for a try, while in defence the blue and whites conceded just once.
READ MORE: 'Bubba' Kennedy is an inspiration to his son
READ MORE: Saints win a thriller against Workies
READ MORE: Panthers hope to continue ANZAC stranglehold
Given the Saints are still working on some new combinations, Naden said they were in the main happy with the performance.
"It's been a pretty good start to the season. Today we did start off pretty slow but we can only build from here," she said. "We are still gelling as a team because we have got a few new players, but it will come.
"Our defence was pretty good, we just stay together, keep tight and once our defence is good, our attack just comes from there throughout the game."
It was the Saints' defence which built the platform for the round two victory as Lithgow looked threatening early on.
Want a discounted subscription to follow Bathurst sport this winter? Click here
Naden chased hard to tag Jade Cameron when she counter-attacked off a Mish Somers bomb, while Workies halves Tiffany Willmott and Megan Embleton probed when the visitors forced a line drop-out soon after.
But the Saints repelled their attacking efforts and in the 10 minutes leading up to the half-time break struck three times.
Darcie Morrison won the foot race to a Somers in-goal kick, Paige Hay caught Workies' on-line defence napping then Meredith Jones ran more than half the length of the field to score in a nice individual effort.
Though Workies got on the board 10 into the second half when Willmott sliced through and found Embleton in support, the Saints soon hit back.
A brilliant Amy Copping off-load put Naden into space to seal the win.