Riding high after three straight wins, Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says his side's recent rocky record against North Melbourne counts for little when the teams line up at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Demons have lost their past six matches against the Kangaroos, and their last six at Etihad.

But Bailey, whose side thrashed previously unbeaten Brisbane by 50 points last round, believes history counts for little.

"I think it's very difficult to rely on games of last year and the year.

"Every game you play you can have a different group of players, change in form, injuries.

"I don't think that counts for much, I think the form you're in presently is more important," Bailey said after a spirited training session on Friday.

"I think the form you're in presently is more important."

The coach flew to Tasmania to watch the Kangaroos as they overcame Hawthorn by 12 points last Sunday and believed his side was in for a tough contest.

"I thought they were very impressive.

"They came back really hard and got in front and held the front and looked like they won with a little bit in reserve," he said.

"I think it's going to be a good game, a pretty tough game."

The round six match is Melbourne's first away from the MCG but Bailey said Etihad held no fears for them.

"We haven't played there in the AFL season this year and it will be a different environment for the boys and that's something that we've spoken about.

"The ground dimensions aren't that much different ... I think the confidence we've got at the moment and the way we're playing, it should be able to be transferred to anywhere we play."

Despite the Demons' winning streak there has been no reassessment of their goals for the season, and they simply wanted to win more quarters of football than they did last year, when they won 32, said Bailey.

"If that results in winning games more often then that's fantastic.

"For us to come last in the last two years to where we are now is just a small moment, it's a small period in a long season.

"At the moment we're about even (with last year) but at the end of the year you determine how many you've won so nothing's changed.

"If you don't do the basics right, you'll come second."

He said the side was been "driven by the last two years".

"We're been driven by where we been and driven by trying to make something happen.

"At the moment they're really self-starting themselves in training and its shown in the last three weeks."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP