Far right conservatives and Abbott loyalists have been quick to dismiss John Howard's intervention in the Coalition leadership debate ahead of the looming 30th Newspoll since Malcolm Turnbull's ascension as "pouring kerosene on a fire".
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They couldn't be more wrong. It was, in fact, anything but.
The former PM's unexpected appearance on the ABC was a startling reminder of a time when senior politicians knew what leadership looked like, we had an idea of what the Prime Minister stood for and who would be running the country next week.
The fact Mr Howard, who has been careful not to publicly involve himself in the machinations of the Parliamentary Liberal Party since, in his words, "politics left me", did speak out, highlights the fact the Federal Coalition is facing an existential crisis of its own making.
Mr Abbott and his rag-tag, right-wing, rump has been consumed by a Rudd-like desire for revenge ever since he was rolled in September, 2015.
Mr Turnbull justified his actions at the time by observing Mr Abbott had lost 30 Newspolls in a row.
That has led to the media, the Opposition, and Mr Turnbull's party room opponents, keeping a close watch on the tally ever since.
There has long been an expectation that when the not so magic number rolled around Mr Turnbull could be considered fair game.
With 29 losses under the PM's belt to date, Monday is looming as D-Day for Mr Turnbull's continued leadership.
Mr Howard, who has been backed by former Victorian Premier, Jeff Kennett, believes another messy leadership challenge just over a year out from the next election would be a disaster for the conservatives.
"I don't find any evidence in the party of people wanting a change of leader," he said. "We've done that and we still have an electoral challenge."
The former PM, who has clearly taken pulses by consulting with friends, party members and former colleagues, suggested any wreckers would be punished by the grass roots of the Liberal Party.
While many supporters were justifiably nervous about the Government's likely electoral fortunes, he said they would be "very unhappy and very angry" if the party continued to waste time fighting itself rather than focusing on Labor's "many policy failures".
"My exhortation to all Liberals is just remember you're carrying the hopes and aspirations of millions of supporters around the country and they want you to work together, they want you to bury your differences," he said.
Mr Howard showed the way forward by offering one of the most cogent responses by any Coalition figure to date on the ALP's recent attack on dividend imputation payments.
He described it as an assault on the hard working and prudent middle class which had been the backbone of the nation for decades.
Mr Howard, by breaking with his own previous protocol and speaking out, has done the Coalition a service by offering sound advice at a crucial time.
The real question is whether or not the individuals currently stirring the pot have the wit to take it.
