JARRYN Geary is benefiting from the advice of St Kilda teammate Clint Jones when it comes to getting used to his most recent role as a run-with player.

The 24-year-old has been tasked with jobs in the past few weeks, playing on the likes of Collingwood's Steele Sidebottom, Carlton's Marc Murphy and Adelaide's Scott Thompson.

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After spending the majority of his career in the backline, Geary says he's enjoying the push up the ground and the chance to learn about playing in the midfield from some of the competition's best.

He says working with Jones, who has often played the role as the Saints' tagger in recent years, has made adjusting to the challenges of the job much easier.

"Clint has helped me out in the last few weeks in the roles I've had," Geary told AFL.com.au.

"He's done it for a number of years and I've been able to rebound off him and get some advice off him."

Jones played against Collingwood but was a late withdrawal against Carlton and wasn't recalled for the Adelaide game.

Still, Geary believes there's room in the team for two playing a similar tagging role.

"When there's a match up that requires both of us to do that job, there's going to be times where we're both going to have to play that sort of role," he said.

"I'm sure when that happens, we'll both be in the team.

"Whether or not Clint comes in and does that role and I go back to half back or whatnot … at some stage, that's going to happen I'd imagine."

Geary was directed to Sidebottom in round six because of their comparable endurance bases, and managed to keep the hard-running Pie to just 10 disposals.

He said he couldn't take all the credit for his standout performance against Sidebottom as it had been a team effort.

"I guess that three-week period against Sydney, Collingwood and Carlton we had all improved as a team and I think it wasn't really just me who had played their role," he said.

"Everyone was up and about and playing well and supporting me with Steele, and the same happened with Marc the following week.

"We know they're pretty good players and when you're playing on good players it's going to take the whole team to shut down their influence, because if you try and take them on one on one they're going to get away from you at some stage.

"If I had a lapse in concentration and they got away from me someone helped me out and covered them."

Geary said the best part about his somewhat refreshing challenge had been the opportunity to see how some of the competition's elite players go about playing through the middle.

An opposition midfielder who fits into that bracket is Geelong captain Joel Selwood, who Geary went to high school with in their hometown of Bendigo.

He remembers the two spent "probably every weekend together" during those years and that their year seven football team was "pretty handy".

Geary still catches up with Selwood and other school friends of theirs, and says it's been terrific to see his long-time mate prosper the way he has.  

"Early on in my career, in my first year I didn't play any games and he played in the Grand Final," he said.

"In the first six years of my career I think I went to every Grand Final because either Joel was playing in it or St Kilda were.

"It was pretty good and it's great to see him going so well."

Jennifer Phelan is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenPhelan.