Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says he can't allow himself the luxury of considering his resurgent side making the AFL finals.

Having won three of their past four games, the Demons, although 10th heading into their round 19 clash against Richmond at the MCG on Sunday, loom as possible finals contenders for the first time in four years.

But Bailey says there's been no talk of finals amongst players or the coaching staff, and they were only focused on their next match.

"We haven't discussed the possibility of finals," he said on Friday.

"I don't think I've given myself one second (to think about the finals), you just can't afford to because if you do you take your eyes off what's important, which is now, tomorrow's training and then the game.

"We're clearly focused on Sunday's game, from where we've come from we've need to be game by game and week by week, we don't want to make it more difficult than what we're trying to achieve."

Richmond are also enjoying a renaissance, having taken the points in five of their last seven matches, and Bailey said the Demons would need to be on their game to beat them.

He said the start was important against the Tigers.

"Our starts have been better in the recent month but Richmond are a side you've got to take opportunities against and you want to start on the front foot.

"That will be the real challenge early on, to ensure that we're on the front foot and we've got some scoreboard pressure on them which is really important early in the game, and then we need to play four quarters.

"They can play some pretty good footy and they've got a really exciting forward in (Jack) Riewoldt ... I think they've got a developing midfield that, in the next couple of years, will be one of the premier midfields.

"We'll certainly have our work cut out for us on Sunday."

He also put the pressure on his own players to maintain their consistency, saying there was plenty of competition for positions.

"There's a lot of pressure for spots and when you create that environment it means that players have got to be on their toes and consistently playing well to maintain their position or it will be up for grabs because we've got some blokes in pretty good form playing in the VFL.

"It's a good situation to be in and that needs to turn into consistent performance on the weekend."

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