Show us some ticker, Pagan urges Kangas

DUAL North Melbourne premiership coach Denis Pagan has urged the Roos to toughen up, worried they are physically intimidated by the AFL’s most aggressive sides.

The Roos seemed to be under pressure from Hawthorn’s enforcers two weeks ago and, while they immediately flew the flag, Hawthorn effortlessly drew away to a 10-goal victory.

Pagan yesterday questioned if the Roos were content with a top-eight finish or wanted to beat the best and clinch a top-four spot.

At Essendon to revisit the infamous “Marshmallow Wars’’ between the clubs with Kevin Sheedy, he said at 3-3 the Roos’ season was delicately poised.

“They are hanging in there but I didn’t like them getting rag-dolled by the Hawks the other week,” Pagan said. “They are in a situation where they are capable of doing it but they have to go on with it.

“I didn’t like the way they were pushed around and manhandled. The coach has come out and said flying the flag is rubbish.

“OK, so it is about the next contest. You can redeem yourself but AFL football is a game of physical intimidation.

“If you are intimidated you are not going to win. I don’t know what the psyche of the North Melbourne guys is.

“They bounced back and beat Richmond the next week but that wasn’t the test as far as I am concerned.

“How are you going to go against the elite? You don’t want to finish fifth and sixth, you want to be elite.”

Pagan said North Melbourne stars like Glenn Archer, Wayne Carey and Mick Martin would have stood up to the heat against a side like Hawthorn.

Captain Andrew Swallow was elbowed by Luke Hodge and Todd Goldstein hit by Jordan Lewis, and Hawthorn easily took control of the second half of that game.

Pagan says it is not too late for North Melbourne to discover a more ruthless edge.

“They got to the last four last year. Are they going to get to the last four again this year? At the moment they have got a bit of work to do,” he said.