Chief executive Cameron Schwab, president Don McLardy and sports performance director Neil Craig hit the airwaves on Sunday in an attempt to quell the fury of Demons fans and the broader footy world.
"The one thing he can be comfortable with and confident with is that he's got our full support," Schwab said of coach Mark Neeld on Triple M.
But in various media appearances, both McLardy and Schwab did little to deflect the spotlight or pressure from the coach, at the same time standing firm on their own positions.
While it's legitimate to question the administration's role in the club's current plight, the chief executive and chairman believe they are on the right track, pointing to the football department they're responsible for creating.
Schwab talked things up, saying for the first time in two or three generations the club has facilities, standards and structures comparable to the AFL's elite.
While he said there'd be no sugarcoating, he insisted there was "no need" to look back.
"It is where it is now for all the reasons that it is, and it is our role to make sure that it improves from this point onwards and that it improves quickly."
Speaking to AFL.com.au, McLardy insisted "stability" and trust was the key to turning things around.
On Channel Nine, he said the worst thing would be to "panic."
"We're not going to just keep turning over people for the sake of it," he said.
If anyone wanted to suggest Craig could be in line to replace Neeld – even in the short term should things not improve – Craig was quick to dismiss it.
"No, my days are done. I think I was pretty clear when I was at Adelaide about that," Craig said on SEN.
By his own admission the former Crows coach is in "uncharted waters," with his primary focus now helping Neeld deal with what is undoubtedly excruciating pressure.
"Any senior coach in this situation needs strong support, an ability to keep calm so your thinking is always sound, because it's very easy to become derailed in your thinking," Craig said.
Dejected Demon players on the MCG after Saturday night's shellacking. Picture: AFL Media
The players, as is to be expected, are backing their coach. While the mood at the club's AAMI Park headquarters was grim ahead of Sunday morning's recovery session, Mitch Clark, Colin Garland and Sam Blease all answered reporters' questions, insisting it was the players who had to take responsibility.
The blowtorch directed at the Dees is unlikely to be extinguished, with home games against West Coast and Greater Western Sydney at the MCG in the coming weeks.
Selection is one place where the match committee can lay down the law – as it did by omitting recycled recruits David Rodan and Cam Pederson after round one - but Craig has cautioned against weekly axe swinging.
"We've got to be really careful in these situations that you don't become a revolving door in terms of selection," Craig said.
That could, perhaps, be enough to save former top draft pick Jack Watts, despite the bronx cheers from fans when he was subbed out on Saturday night after another poor performance.
A week is a long time in football, and for Melbourne this week is shaping as one of the longest.
Matt Thompson is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter @MattThompsonAFL
