MELBOURNE'S Brad Green says his teammates are backing coach Dean Bailey to the hilt despite three heavy losses to Collingwood, Essendon and the Brisbane Lions in the last three rounds.
Green said Bailey was handling a tough period very well and that it was now up to the players to show something.
"He's been great … he's a fantastic bloke and a fantastic coach and the players are right behind him," Green said of Bailey from Junction Oval on Tuesday.
"He gave us a serve after the game, which we deserved, and he basically put us on [notice] that everyone's spot is on the line at the moment.
"He's got great belief in his players and he's got great belief in his coaching staff and he's got great belief in the people behind him."
Green said the Demons needed to get back to basics and believe in themselves, which would hopefully start against West Coast at the MCG on Saturday.
He added honourable losses were no longer acceptable.
"No doubt the last three weeks have been really disappointing," he said.
"As a playing group, we've been below par and we just need to get back and play competitive footy.
"We've been competitive for probably only a quarter or a quarter-and-a-half in games and two quarters of footy is really costing us games at the moment."
Green said a youthful team could not be used as an excuse.
"You can say it's a young team and inexperienced, but the 22 players that we put out on the ground have got to perform and we're not doing that at the moment," he said.
"We need everyone contributing all of the time and we're just not getting that."
Green also urged the Melbourne faithful to turn out in force at the 'G as the side sought its second win of the season.
"It is a big game and we're coming up against a side that's coming off a good win against Hawthorn. They're (West Coast) in pretty good form and we're not," he said.
"But we've got to show that we can turn that around and get out and have a win against West Coast on Saturday."
After missing rounds five to eight with a jaw injury, the courageous Demon said he was feeling back on track.
"The jaw's been great and I haven't noticed it for the past five weeks I've been playing," Green said. "It's all put together with a couple of screws, but they're holding it in"
