Essendon's caretaker Dean Solomon fronted the media on Thursday, and insisted his side are under no illusions regarding their current plight.
On the heels of yet another game that was decided before halftime, pressure is mounting on interim coach Solomon, who is yet to win a match across two stints in bridging roles at the Suns and Bombers.
Solomon spoke firmly around non-negotiables for his charges, with seven games remaining in another wasted season for those of a red and black persuasion.
“(Against St Kilda, last time out), our effort and attitude was not where it needed to be, as a baseline, and (there is) some game plan compliance stuff that we need to tidy up as well. As I said to the players, we're getting sick of talking, we need to start doing," Solomon said.
“We're in this together. Is the situation going well? Not at the moment. Is it ideal? No. We've got to provide solutions and get to work."
Solomon was asked if fans can expect wholesale changes after another poor showing, and took the opportunity to outline his selection philosophy; one that he is sure has been clear in the minds of his players since he took the reins.
"From the moment I took over, the selection criteria has been really clear," he said.
"It's not just game day, it's Monday to Friday, the way you engage, the way you go about your craft, your fundamentals, leadership qualities; it's the whole lot that goes into the pot to decide who's in and out of the team. We look at that each week.
"As a coaching group, we go back and ensure there's clarity around what is required, when. Ultimately, we're building trust in a new style of play that we're trying to implement and that we have implemented these last four or five weeks. There's always going to be risk in that, and there's always going to be inconsistent moments, but that's all part of the journey, but it's not at the level it needs to be at, at the moment."
Two players who have bred optimism for the future are Sullivan Robey and Dyson Sharp, who have shown glimpses of the players they promise to become in their debut seasons. When asked about the prospect of both lads spending more time in the guts as opposed to in auxiliary roles, Solomon referenced their loads, offering that both have succumbed to sickness while navigating the physical toll of elite football.
"They're playing a great role. They made a great impact when they went into the midfield, but they're 18 year old boys. We've got to manage their loads throughout the year. They'll get exposure but we can't break them down. We just need to manage what that looks like."
Solomon revealed he's still yet to enter into conversations with president Andrew Welsh about a potential application for the full-time position.
"No conversations. Just focussing on what I need to focus on. Right here, right now it's this playing group and this football club and ensuring that we're more competitive than what we were against St Kilda, and that it doesn't look like that going forward," he said.
"It's great. It's a tough challenge. It's the second time I've fulfilled the interim coaching role and if it's not a challenge, it's not worth it. I've actually loved every second of this.
"For our members and supporters, we understand that the weekends haven't looked great, but just rest assured that we're doing everything we can on the inside to ensure the medium-to-long term will be in good health."
