THEY are the undisputed league tag heavyweights of Group 10, but come Sunday afternoon St Pat's want to prove they are the best in Western Division as well.
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That is when the Saints will meet Dubbo CYMS at Wellington in the Premiers Challenge.
The Mick Armstrong coached Saints won the inaugural edition of the challenge last season - one which pits the winner of the Group 10 competition against the Group 11 premiers - when downing Parkes at Carrington Park.
The Saints have also won three consecutive Group 10 premierships and the last four pre-season Western Challenge crowns.
But just as the Saints finished as the undefeated Group 10 premiers in 2019 after beating Orange Hawks 10-4 last Sunday, Dubbo CYMS' 24-4 win over Forbes in the Group 11 decider meant they matched that effort.
"It wasn't something that really got mentioned last week, but obviously it was in the back of their minds that if they did get up, they would get a chance to play a CYMS team which has been undefeated as well," Armstrong said.
"It will be interesting to see how they perform. Last year Parkes had a few girls out which made it a lot easier for us to focus and put in a good performance in that game, but I'm not 100 percent sure how they'll go to be honest.
It would be disappointing not to win this game after you've won your grand final.
- St Pat's coach Mick Armstrong
"I'm hoping that they'll be able to focus and put in a good performance ... I think they'll be fine, they're experienced enough to understand that they've got to play well again.
"It would be disappointing not to win this game after you've won your grand final, but I'm sure CYMS feel the same, I'm sure they'll feel they would be worthy winners of this event as well. It means we've got to be on our game."
From the side which beat Hawks in the grand final, the Saints will be missing outside backs Candice Boggs, Tanesha Pringle and Elise Woods.
Dubbo CYMS will also be missing some of its premiership line-up with captain Nic Grose and Group 11 player of the year Alahna Ryan amongst those will not play on Sunday.
But there is still plenty of quality in both squads which will contest the Premiers Challenge and Amstrong is not under-estimating the threat CYMS pose.
It was CYMS who battled it out with the Saints in the pre-season Western Challenge final, the blue and whites winning that 12-0.
"I don't know a lot about them, but they are obviously a pretty good team because they won their grand final 24-4, which is a good sized victory in a grand final and shows they are a quality team and have plenty of points in them," Armstrong said.
"We just have to make sure we don't give them too many opportunities and don't let them get across the line. It's pretty much the same as any footy game, if you can limit their opportunities and make them work out of their end then it's pretty hard for them to put points on.
"If we can do that and take our opportunities, then hopefully it will be enough."
Kick-off is at noon.
