North Melbourne's form against the AFL's elite has them confident of giving the premiership a shake but bolstering their position by beating lower-ranked sides has been more of a concern.

The Kangaroos get a chance to change the perception that only the biggest challenges bring out their best on Sunday against bottom-placed Melbourne at the MCG.

A win will consolidate their position in the top eight and give them three straight wins for the first time this season.

Forward Corey Jones, the club's leading goal-kicker last season, admits the form of both himself and his team has been patchier this year, but he was optimistic things were starting to turn.

"I'm not too sure the reason that this year we've let our guard down and given sides a look-in, so hopefully for the remainder of the season we can fix that up and we'll be right amongst it," he said.

"We're in the eight now so the rest of the year's in our own hands."

Jones said the criticism that the eighth-placed Kangaroos saved their best for when they had their backs to the wall was warranted.

"It's the opposite to last year, last year we beat everyone below us and this year we've lost some games which you look at the ladder and we probably shouldn't have," he said.

"It's something that's frustrating, but we've got to be switched on and come out to play, it's not just going to happen."

After being left out because of injury and poor form on separate occasions in recent weeks, Jones admitted he was one player guilty of not producing his best performance on a weekly basis.

"You have to make sure each week you bring something to the table, it's not necessarily kicking goals," he said.

"But gelling in the forward line, working together, getting your hands on it as well, just your all-round game, applying pressure.

"It's been a tough year personally and for the team as well.

"But we've got six weeks to go and hopefully it can be a different six weeks and we can string some good form personally and also as a team."

With wins over the second and third-placed sides the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn, a draw with fourth-placed Sydney and two defeats of fifth-placed Collingwood, as well as a narrow loss to top-placed Geelong, they believe they will perform strongly should they reach the finals.

"We know if we get there we'll be quietly confident, but first things first is to get there," Jones said.

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