AN EXPLOSIVE and costly legal stoush is looming between the AFL and the Melbourne Football Club as the league's investigation into the tanking affair continues to aggressively interview and re-interview witnesses who worked at the club in 2009.

The Demons have claimed the league's investigators have adopted intimidating and threatening tactics in a bid to obtain information from past and present Melbourne staffers.

Melbourne coaches and football department officials have alleged investigators Brett Clothier and Abraham Haddad have told them they would be thrown out of the industry should they fail to answer questions fully and honestly.

Demon directors and executives have also been angered at the alleged practice by Haddad and Clothier of turning off and on their official tapes during recorded interview sessions while reminding witnesses their future in the AFL could be at stake.

The Demons are also concerned at allegations some witnesses were talked into confessing their presence at certain scenarios after being told that others had already incriminated them.