Pagan revs up North in pre-game centenary ceremony
After the controversy over the last few days about how past greats were to be honoured, the Kangaroos put on an impressive pre-game ceremony on Thursday night at Marvel Stadium before playing the Western Bulldogs.
Pagan, the two-time North premiership coach renowned for his tough love, had one of the key roles in the pre-match and he did not disappoint.
Past greats joined the current players in forming a circle around Pagan on the ground, a couple of minutes before the first bounce, for his pre-match speech.
Pagan made his thoughts clear about last week's 85-point loss to Hawthorn.
"No-one intimidated us - we had a mantra, war without weapons," the 1996 and '99 premiership coach said of his teams, who won the club's most recent flags.
"Everyone who ran out put his body on the line.
"I want to see you blokes do that tonight. I had a look at Hawthorn last week ... a lot of you blokes have got a bit to answer for.
"You make sure you're hard at the ball, you're hard at the man with the ball, you tackle and chase, you put pressure on your opponent - no daydreaming, just go for it and give it your best shot."
Pagan's passionate two-minute speech went through club history, from the barren early days in the AFL through to the breakthrough 1970s premierships and then to the '90s.
He noted in the early days, North were usually "hit from pillar to post".
"They were able to get up off the canvas and come to fight again - probably a little bit similar to what you blokes have to do tonight," Pagan added.
"You have to take a page out of their book."
Earlier, as part of the parade of club greats, Pagan joined Wayne Carey in walking out onto the ground with the '99 premiership cup.
Likewise, Wayne Schimmelbusch and Keith Greig ('75), David Dench and Malcolm Blight ('77) and Glenn Archer and Shannon Grant ('99) brought out their AFL premiership hardware.
Coach Darren Crocker and Emma Kearney carried onto the ground last year's AFLW premiership cup.
Sam Kekovich and John Burns, who played in the '75 premiership team, were controversial no-shows as expected. They were reportedly discontent with the fact their premiership was not to be recognised in a separate capacity - and also that the ceremony recognised the AFLW flag.
Earlier on Friday, former AFL player Brendan Fevola said former players boycotting the ceremony were "absolute losers", noting Crocker also played in North's '96 premiership team.
But two other notable inclusions in the pre-game ceremony were legendary former players Phil and Jim Krakouer, who represented the club's Indigenous heritage.
The Krakouers are involved in a class action against the AFL for allegedly failing to protect players from on-field racial abuse.
North Melbourne were served a vintage Denis Pagan rev-up to steel them for their AFL centenary celebration match.
After the controversy over the last few days about how past greats were to be honoured, the Kangaroos put on an impressive pre-game ceremony on Thursday night at Marvel Stadium before playing the Western Bulldogs.
Pagan, the two-time North premiership coach renowned for his tough love, had one of the key roles in the pre-match and he did not disappoint.
Past greats joined the current players in forming a circle around Pagan on the ground, a couple of minutes before the first bounce, for his pre-match speech.
Pagan made his thoughts clear about last week's 85-point loss to Hawthorn.
"No-one intimidated us - we had a mantra, war without weapons," the 1996 and '99 premiership coach said of his teams, who won the club's most recent flags.
"Everyone who ran out put his body on the line.
"I want to see you blokes do that tonight. I had a look at Hawthorn last week ... a lot of you blokes have got a bit to answer for.
"You make sure you're hard at the ball, you're hard at the man with the ball, you tackle and chase, you put pressure on your opponent - no daydreaming, just go for it and give it your best shot."
Pagan's passionate two-minute speech went through club history, from the barren early days in the AFL through to the breakthrough 1970s premierships and then to the '90s.
He noted in the early days, North were usually "hit from pillar to post".
"They were able to get up off the canvas and come to fight again - probably a little bit similar to what you blokes have to do tonight," Pagan added.
"You have to take a page out of their book."
Earlier, as part of the parade of club greats, Pagan joined Wayne Carey in walking out onto the ground with the '99 premiership cup.
Likewise, Wayne Schimmelbusch and Keith Greig ('75), David Dench and Malcolm Blight ('77) and Glenn Archer and Shannon Grant ('99) brought out their AFL premiership hardware.
Coach Darren Crocker and Emma Kearney carried onto the ground last year's AFLW premiership cup.
Sam Kekovich and John Burns, who played in the '75 premiership team, were controversial no-shows as expected. They were reportedly discontent with the fact their premiership was not to be recognised in a separate capacity - and also that the ceremony recognised the AFLW flag.
Earlier on Friday, former AFL player Brendan Fevola said former players boycotting the ceremony were "absolute losers", noting Crocker also played in North's '96 premiership team.
But two other notable inclusions in the pre-game ceremony were legendary former players Phil and Jim Krakouer, who represented the club's Indigenous heritage.
The Krakouers are involved in a class action against the AFL for allegedly failing to protect players from on-field racial abuse.
North Melbourne were served a vintage Denis Pagan rev-up to steel them for their AFL centenary celebration match.
After the controversy over the last few days about how past greats were to be honoured, the Kangaroos put on an impressive pre-game ceremony on Thursday night at Marvel Stadium before playing the Western Bulldogs.
Pagan, the two-time North premiership coach renowned for his tough love, had one of the key roles in the pre-match and he did not disappoint.
Past greats joined the current players in forming a circle around Pagan on the ground, a couple of minutes before the first bounce, for his pre-match speech.
Pagan made his thoughts clear about last week's 85-point loss to Hawthorn.
"No-one intimidated us - we had a mantra, war without weapons," the 1996 and '99 premiership coach said of his teams, who won the club's most recent flags.
"Everyone who ran out put his body on the line.
"I want to see you blokes do that tonight. I had a look at Hawthorn last week ... a lot of you blokes have got a bit to answer for.
"You make sure you're hard at the ball, you're hard at the man with the ball, you tackle and chase, you put pressure on your opponent - no daydreaming, just go for it and give it your best shot."
Pagan's passionate two-minute speech went through club history, from the barren early days in the AFL through to the breakthrough 1970s premierships and then to the '90s.
He noted in the early days, North were usually "hit from pillar to post".
"They were able to get up off the canvas and come to fight again - probably a little bit similar to what you blokes have to do tonight," Pagan added.
"You have to take a page out of their book."
Earlier, as part of the parade of club greats, Pagan joined Wayne Carey in walking out onto the ground with the '99 premiership cup.
Likewise, Wayne Schimmelbusch and Keith Greig ('75), David Dench and Malcolm Blight ('77) and Glenn Archer and Shannon Grant ('99) brought out their AFL premiership hardware.
Coach Darren Crocker and Emma Kearney carried onto the ground last year's AFLW premiership cup.
Sam Kekovich and John Burns, who played in the '75 premiership team, were controversial no-shows as expected. They were reportedly discontent with the fact their premiership was not to be recognised in a separate capacity - and also that the ceremony recognised the AFLW flag.
Earlier on Friday, former AFL player Brendan Fevola said former players boycotting the ceremony were "absolute losers", noting Crocker also played in North's '96 premiership team.
But two other notable inclusions in the pre-game ceremony were legendary former players Phil and Jim Krakouer, who represented the club's Indigenous heritage.
The Krakouers are involved in a class action against the AFL for allegedly failing to protect players from on-field racial abuse.
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