2003 season; this put Daniher’s coaching position under scrutiny. In 2004, with Melbourne Football Club facing tough times in on and off the field areas, especially with Melbourne struggling for memberships and requiring the competitive balance fund for survival, Daniher made a more concerted effort to be more outspoken in the media – and became known as "The Reverend" for his "preaching" skills. This helped the club's membership and public profile (a semi-final appearance in that year's Wizard Cup also helped). After making the semi-finals of the Wizard Cup, the Demons under Daniher then led the AFL ladder after 18 rounds in the 2004 season by winning 14 out of 18 games, before a 4-game losing streak saw them miss the top 4 altogether and finish 5th, where they were knocked out of the finals in the first week by Essendon in the first elimination final. The 2005 season saw the Demons under Daniher enjoyed a similar run near the top of the ladder, but another late-season fade-out saw them temporarily lose their spot in the eight, before reclaiming their position with close wins over the Western Bulldogs and Geelong, and therefore making the finals, when they finished seventh with twelve wins and ten losses. However, The Demons under Daniher were comprehensively beaten and eliminated by Geelong in the elimination final, which saw a second consecutive first week finals exit for the club. The Demons under Daniher improved in the 2006 season, after losing the first 3 games of the season, the club then finished seventh on the ladder and therefore made the finals. Melbourne under Daniher eliminated St Kilda in the second elimination final in the first finals week. However, the Demons under Daniher were eliminated by Fremantle in the semi-finals. In the 2007 season, after the Demons under Daniher started the year with nine straight defeats. They won their next two matches, but a poor showing in a 49-point loss against cellar dwellers, Richmond in Round 12, 2007, and sitting at fifteenth, the second-last placed position on the ladder, put pressure on Daniher's coaching tenure. On 27 June 2007, Daniher announced that he would resign as Melbourne Football Club senior coach at the end of the 2007 season. However, two days later, on 29 June 2007, Daniher reversed this decision and officially announced that the Round 13, 2007 clash against Essendon would be his last game as Melbourne