ALTHOUGH the perception is that Fremantle is under the pump to perform against Melbourne this Sunday at Subiaco Oval, Demons coach Dean Bailey is adamant his team is equally under pressure to stand up this round.

Bailey said his club had plenty of people to represent, which meant the expectation to play at the highest level was at the forefront of his thinking.

"We need to continue to play well. We've started to make a series of minor steps forward, which is good, but we need to continue that process and we're still under pressure to make sure that we're competitive and that's still remaining our focus," Bailey said on Tuesday.

"From my point-of-view, we need to be continually working on our game and every time we go and play, we are under pressure to perform well and even though we are last at the moment, we still need to perform well.

"We've still got members and supporters and sponsors and they'll still watch the television and watch us play and they want to see us having a crack and we'll be trying our best – no doubt."

Bailey said his side must not let Fremantle off to a good start – like it did in round seven, before Melbourne produced its greatest comeback victory of all-time – this time in Perth.

"We can't afford to let them get off to that start and be in front by that much in Perth – we'd be struggling, really, to try and get back from where we were in the first game, so we've got to start really well and that's really important when you do travel interstate," Bailey said.

"In Perth, you've got to try and get in front, you stay in front and you try and ease the confidence with the crowd against your team."

Bailey said his team would travel to Perth on Friday, ensuring it was fully prepared for its Sunday clash. 

"At least it gives us Friday night, but also Saturday. We'll have a light training session on Saturday. It's a fair distance to travel and two nights are probably better than one night's sleep before, so that's the main [reason]," Bailey said.

"It'll be a bit of time for the players to enjoy spending time together and I've come from an interstate club that traveled all of the time and interstate trips were good from that aspect … and when you win interstate, the flight home is always quicker."