Fremantle coach Mark Harvey is ready to talk to the club's hierarchy about a new deal but isn't fussed if it doesn't happen any time soon.

Harvey entered the AFL season under immense pressure to keep his job after leading the Dockers to just six wins in each of the previous two seasons.

The 44-year-old is out of contract at season's end but an impressive 3-0 start to the year has seen his stocks rise significantly ahead of Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.

"I've never been pushing the issue," Harvey said when asked about the contract situation on Wednesday.

"Whenever the decision comes to sit down and talk about things we'll do it.

"But at the moment all I'm doing is coaching and making sure we are getting the best out of the players."

Despite the Dockers' best-ever start to a season, Harvey said he could still feel an enormous amount of pressure surrounding the club.

The former Bomber said that pressure may have led to himself and several players being bland during press conferences.

"I think we are under a fair bit of external pressure. Maybe if we release that maybe you will see the character come out," Harvey said.

"There's external pressure on and off the field, perhaps we just need to let go of that a little bit and just relax and let the characters evolve in the game and play the game.

"Don't make a minor thing significant and that's what is happening at the moment and that's why you're probably seeing a lot of players and coaches being like that."

Harvey refused to talk up his team's chances of reaching the finals despite their unexpected start to the year.

"I've been realistic with where we're at," he said.

"At the moment we've probably been meeting teams at the right times and we are taking advantage of that.

"We haven't had a lot of injuries ... but some of these other sides have had some significant problems in the first three rounds and that's why it will balance itself off at some stage.

"That's why you be realistic about where you're at.

"I wouldn't have thought there would be too many coaches or clubs talking about finals at this time of the year."

St Kilda will be without injured skipper Nick Riewoldt (hamstring) and suspended forward Justin Koschitzke for the match against Fremantle.

Harvey said their absence would make the Saints unpredictable and also dismissed suggestions the fallout from the Mick Malthouse-Stephen Milne spat could affect St Kilda.

"I would have thought maybe it's a distraction for a day or two and then you move on," he said.

Dockers defender Chris Tarrant (ankle) is a likely starter against the Saints but Nick Suban will miss 1-2 weeks with his own ankle complaint.

Harvey said Etihad Stadium held no fears for his side after posting two wins there already this year - a pre-season win over North Melbourne and their round two victory over Essendon.

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