WITH nine games to showcase his coaching credentials, Mark Riley might be seen to have the inside running on Melbourne's senior coaching position, but he certainly doesn't view the remainder of the season in that light.

Despite admitting to a "burning desire" to take on the top job on a permanent basis after stepping in for Neale Daniher for the remainder of 2007, Riley was at pains to deflect attention from himself when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.

"I don't see it as an audition. This is not about me, this is not about individuals, this is about the Melbourne footy club and giving ourselves the best chance in 2008; it's as simple as that," Riley said.

"I think every assistant who has ever pulled on the assistant's tracksuit aspires to be a senior coach, but realistically I'm going to coach this team twice before we run out there on Sunday.

"We'll have two training sessions, it's not about me, it's about the Demons going forward."

Riley said he had been surprised by the events of last week and had mixed emotions about replacing his mentor, even contemplating following him out the door, albeit briefly. A quick chat with Daniher quickly dispelled such thoughts and, after a hectic few days of planning, the new coach is now keen to get on with the task at hand.

"The general theme is that we're moving on and the club is the main thing," he said. "What's done is done and we now have to look at what we've got available to us.

"The facts of life are that we've had a horrendous run with injuries, but you cop your lot in life and the opportunity will present itself for us to have a look at these young guys and expose them to the rigours of AFL footy."

The football department remains in complete control of all on-field decisions, according to Riley, who said the board had given no specific directives on personnel but had offered its full support. 

As for what Melbourne fans can expect to see in terms of game style under Riley, he said there would be a few subtle changes with some players tried in different positions but that wholesale changes at this stage simply weren't possible.

"Neale's been important but my philosophy is not totally based on Neale Daniher; there are certainly some differences," Riley replied when quizzed about the influence of his former boss.

"My overall coaching philosophy is a bit of a soak. I've taken in a lot of information over a long period of time from a lot of coaches, not just guys I've worked with but guys that we've coached against, guys that I've been to seminars and listened to and a cross-pollination of other sports."