THE PRESSURE will switch to Melbourne's players against St Kilda on Saturday at the MCG and they will revel in the spotlight, according to defender Colin Garland.

Former coach Mark Neeld bore the brunt of criticism levelled at the Demons this season but Garland said Neeld's sacking on Monday would release the shackles from the players.

He and his teammates could no longer hide behind their poor performances under interim coach Neil Craig, he added. 

"I can tell you right now that we don't give ourselves excuses. There's no excuses and if the spotlight is on us, then that's great," Garland told a press conference at AAMI Park on Friday morning.

He admitted the players felt somewhat responsible for Neeld's removal, but stressed that it was imperative the club look to the future.

"When you build up a relationship with a guy over 18 months, you do feel for him," Garland said.

"It's round 11 so when the coach gets removed at round 11, you definitely feel some sense of responsibility.

"(But) if we let ourselves feel guilt and wallow in our own self-pity, for too long, then we're going to keep getting what we've been getting."

Craig has already stamped his style on the club, with the former Adelaide coach adding an extra training session in to the club's week and he has decided to start training a little later than it had been under Neeld.

Craig has also made some changes on-field.

Running defender Mitch Clisby will make his debut for the Demons this week, after being elevated off the rookie list on Thursday.

Clisby, who hails from Broken Hill and was recruited by the Demons with pick No.19 in the 2013 rookie draft from SANFL club North Adelaide, said it was a big moment.

"I'm very excited and nervous at the same time. To get the news on Wednesday was a pretty big thing for me," he said. 

The 23-year-old also revealed that best mate and injured Adelaide superstar Taylor Walker was flying over to watch him make his debut.

Garland said the fresh faces introduced to the team this year were keeping him going in a year he would rather forget.

The club selected Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Viney, Matt Jones, Dean Kent and Dean Terlich in last year's NAB AFL Draft. The Demons also acquired Jesse Hogan in the GWS mini-draft and traded with the Giants for Dom Barry as a pre-listed Northern Territory-zoned player.

All of those, bar Hogan and Barry, have played senior football this year.

"Last year's draft will probably be spoken about in five to six years as being one of the best drafts of all time for Melbourne," Garland said.