Melbourne president Glen Bartlett says the Demons faced a dangerous crisis last year

MELBOURNE president Glen Bartlett says his club had plunged into a dangerous crisis during the upheaval of last season.

Melbourne President Glen Bartlett (right) after the announcement of Paul Roos as coach last year.

MELBOURNE president Glen Bartlett says his club had plunged into a dangerous crisis during the upheaval of last season.

Bartlett took charge of the Demons in August as part of a bloody purge that saw the club's president, coach, chief executive and five directors removed.

"It was clear when I joined the board back then that our club needed change," Bartlett said at last night's annual general meeting.

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"During 2013 I think it's fair to say the club, at a point in time, was in crisis. We had a choice - we could either go down the same or a similar path ... or we could go down a different path with a new team.

"It was apparent that we needed a significant restructure with the assistance of the AFL. We needed cultural change and a coaching structure to drive the change in behaviours and a focus on the development of players in this football club.

"I know it's early days, but we strongly believe that the changes we have made have put us on the right road. I would particularly like to thank (chief executive) Peter Jackson who, no doubt, in that crisis saw a danger and the opportunity that a crisis presents."

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Jackson's rebuild, including the appointment of Paul Roos as senior coach, saw Bartlett and the club's revamped eight-person board elected unopposed at last night's meeting.

"There had to be change. There had to be hard decisions made and I make no apologies for that," Bartlett said.

"It's unfortunate that some very good people have left the club during that period, outside of their control and not necessarily about their performance."

Jackson revealed last year's AFL's tanking investigation had cost the club $787,000.

Crowd averages slipped from 31,000 to 23,000 and poor memberships, sponsorships and hospitality sales triggered a $1.7 million loss.

But Jackson said memberships were 12 per cent up on last year and the club's football department spend would increase by about $1 million to $19.7 million under Roos.

The club's deal to play two home matches and a NAB Challenge game in the Northern Territory would earn the club $1.3 million, Jackson said.

"We are not undermining football resources to achieve a bottom line," Jackson said.

Roos said new recruits Daniel Cross, Dom Tyson and Bernie Vince were the standouts in last week's intra-club match along with former No.1 pick Jack Watts.

"It's going to be a bumpy road ... (but) we are heading in the right direction," Roos said.

"I have no doubt we will get there at some point."