JARRYN Geary still seeks the guidance of former club captain Nick Riewoldt, but says he's not trying to emulate the St Kilda great's leadership style.

Geary took over as skipper from Riewoldt for the 2017 season. With just one win and a draw from the opening six rounds, the 16th-placed Saints have been unable to meet pre-season expectations of a more productive 2018 campaign.

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Speaking on SEN on Friday morning, Geary says he's looking to steer the Saints up the ladder in his own style.

"I'm not trying to emulate (Riewoldt) at all, I'm trying to be my own self and my own leader," Geary said.

"I've had great conversations with Nick over the last two or three years when there was an indication I was going to take over from him.

"He has been a great mentor for me, someone who I used a lot last year and someone who I continue to have conversations with now.

"I'm not looking to fill his shoes, I'm not as good a player as Nick, and he led in his own way.

"I'm just hoping I'm leading in my own way, and at the moment with the team, we aren't consistently performing. That's a reflection on myself as well. I put myself in the same category as the team."

The 29-year-old says he has a new perspective on the game after spending the past 10 seasons mainly concentrating on his own performance.

"You do think about footy a lot more, you try to think about the psyche of the other players and where they're at mentally, and how you can help them get out of the form slump we are in," Geary said.

"You do think about footy a lot more than when you are just a normal player rocking up on Saturday trying to perform."