What I hadn't expected to find, but did, was a sense of anticipation and freshness. As a trade for Bell, the club secured two low picks in the national draft plus spirited youngster Jess Sinclair. They secured another teenager, Daniel Harris, with their own pick, then grabbed Collingwood full forward Sav Rocca. The Kangaroos in 2001 have a different edge. Pagan takes me for a tour of the old grandstand, showing me the change rooms, where Micky Gaudion was sitting when Killigrew spotted he was without socks, the small room in the attic from which the young Ron Joseph envisaged transforming the club.
Football continues to change apace.
When Pagan began in 1993 he was the only full-time coach. Now the club has a team of them. Sitting in the boxes at the MCG, he says you'd be aware of the other coach's presence. Now it's a team of coaches versus a team of coaches, the bank of knowledge available to each side is that much larger, a winning edge that much harder to glean. Good preparation is essential, he says.