If overconfidence was what got us through the 2000 and 2001 season, then, we should have confidence running through the current group because they are far better than Eccles, Doering, Gallagher, Hotton et al. But why were so poor this year?

No confidence.

It has been rumoured that Pagan has lost the respect of his players because they've been shown little confidence in their abilities. From what is reported by our VFL watchers, Mitchell at least gives the players confidence in themselves.

When the players have implied no confidence in them with massive flooding etc, is it little wonder that we don't play well because the coach thinks they can't play.

Similar thing happened in 2002 - we conceded games before we started because with all our injuries, we didn't think we could play - until the Dogs game in rd 21 when we kicked 9 goals in the first quarter.

I put the confidence thing in the "Pagan's fault" basket.

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

NB CC - I dont really mean that 'overconfidence thing' - I was just playing up to The Duke's call to make 2002 Pagan's fault. Looking through 2000 we were a good chance on the back of Kouta's brilliance and notwithstanding the dominance of the Bombers it would have been nice to see it tested against a fully fledged Kouta on the Big Day. Anyway, we'll never know...