MELBOURNE has devised contingency plans in a bid to allow inspirational skipper Daisy Pearce to break free of regular taggers.

The Demons this week discussed methods to better utilise the normally prolific midfielder against Brisbane in a crucial NAB AFL Women's match at Casey Fields on Friday night.

Pearce, held to less than 10 disposals in the Demons' loss to Collingwood in Alice Springs last Saturday, briefly confronted the tagger issue in her weekly radio spot this week.

Teammate Elise O'Dea said the topic had been part of Melbourne's round five planning, without going into specific details.

"Daisy has been tagged her whole football career because she's a gun, but it shouldn't be left up to one player," O'Dea said.

"We should be looking after her to make sure we're bringing her into the game and making sure she's not copping too much heat off the ball.

"It's up to other players around her to contribute to the load, getting more out of the midfield players and forwards and backs. It's a pretty simple formula.

"If she cops attention early, she might drag them forward or back. Or go to another midfield player and try to make it a two-on-one, sacrifice herself. She's an incredibly selfless player and teammate, and she'll do whatever it takes for the team. And we ought to do the same for her and look after her."

Melbourne was restricted to just one training session this week after successive short weeks that included away losses to Fremantle in Perth and the previously winless Magpies up north.

O'Dea dismissed travel weariness as a factor in the defeats.

"I back what the club did. If we had won just one of those games, it would've been a great result. I just think it's really difficult to win away from home," she said.

"We played Fremantle, who knew how to play a smaller ground [Fremantle Oval] and played the conditions better on the day. And then we played an up-and-about Collingwood.

"It's a professional game, you have to be able to travel and compete, no matter what the conditions are. We've just got to learn those lessons and, hopefully, bounce back this week."

While the Demons are aware of dangerous Lions forwards Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Jess Wuetschner, O'Dea said it was important they focused more on increasing their own output for the entire game.

"It will be about bringing a good level of energy and intensity … trying to focus on our game and what we do to get 21 equal contributions."