THE CLAIM that Melbourne players were not taking their recovery session seriously following the 94-point loss to West Coast last weekend has been dismissed by Demons co-captain Jack Trengove.

Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton called the club's leadership into question on Monday, saying he had heard the players were laughing and joking and not hurting enough after the crushing loss to the Eagles.

Brereton went on to say that he had spoken to several players from the Melbourne Storm NRL club who had seen the Demons players making light of the situation, hinting that that sort of behaviour would not be accepted under the watch of Storm captain Cameron Smith.

However, a Melbourne official said the Storm players were not present at the recovery session.

Trengove said the claims were completely untrue.

"I was personally there at the recovery session and I saw none of that," Trengove said when fronting the media at AAMI Park on Wednesday morning.

"I don't really see it as an issue whatsoever. We're really happy with how we recovered after the game, and it was all above board.

"From my point of view, the recovery that we did, there was no unacceptable behavior, so there was no need to pull anyone up."

Anchored to the bottom of the AFL ladder and having lost its first three games of the season, Melbourne faces fellow winless side Greater Western Sydney at the MCG on Sunday.

The match is seen as a 'must-win' game given the pressure that is sure to be amplified on the club and coach Mark Neeld if the result goes the wrong way.

But Trengove was not buying in to that line of thinking, saying the club was treating the game as per usual.

Melbourne trailed West Coast, a side Trengove regards as a top-four candidate, by just 10 points at half time last Saturday before an "unacceptable" fade-out in the second half.

Trengove said the club was searching for ways to carry that switched-on mentality through a whole game, not just in patches.

"That first half of footy is some of the most enjoyable I've played in years," Trengove said.

"It was a shame we couldn't do that for four quarters."

While the challenges facing the Demons appear large, the young leaders at the club believe they can pull through with a collective steely resolve.

"Through challenging times, that's where leaders come to the fore," Trengove said.

"'Grimesy' (co-captain Jack Grimes) and the rest of the leadership group see this time as a great challenge to progress as leaders and really enhance our qualities."