INSPIRATIONAL St Kilda skipper Jarryn Geary is set to complete a remarkable return to the field, just 44 days after his right thigh was sliced open during emergency surgery for compartment syndrome.

After copping a heavy knock from Melbourne speedster Jayden Hunt in round five but then heroically playing on and being among his side's better players in a win that took the Saints to 4-1, Geary went home after the victory before driving to Epworth Hospital to go under the knife. 

SLICED OPEN Three surgeries, 30 stitches and 19 staples 

Adding to how gobsmacking this feat is, the hard-nosed defender's comeback to the field will be in China.

St Kilda is 'hosting' Port Adelaide in Shanghai, at Jiangwan Stadium, for the first time in a three-year deal.

Geary, 30, flew over on Wednesday before the rest of the squad and predicted he would be fit to go.

"I'm right at the moment, so if I get through training Friday I will be certainly in … as long as nothing else happens to me," Geary said.

He was hesitant at first about having the operation because of the uncertainty of how long he would be out for, but always aimed to be part of St Kilda's first foray in China.

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"It was probably something I ended up aiming for because when the guy (Arvind Jain) said he was going to cut me open, I really wanted some clarity about how long it was going to take (to recover)," Geary said.

"I didn't really want to go down that path until I knew the extent of how long it was going to be.

"We just wanted 100 per cent certainty, that was what was required, before he did it."

Geary ended up having three operations, with his wound sitting open for five days, before it was closed up with 30 stitches and 19 staples.

Ultimately, having the surgery quickly was important.

"The longer you don't do it (surgery), the more likely you'll be out for longer, because you'll get muscle damage," Geary said.

"Because they did it straight away, I had not had muscle damage."

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He ran 11km on Monday and his coach Alan Richardson continues to be impressed by how the captain has flown through his rehab period.

"It's quite remarkable, really. I wouldn't have thought he’d be back so soon, but the surgery went really well and his rehab has gone quicker than expected and he's a determined bugger. It's great to have our captain back," Richardson said. 

"It's probably been a good thing to get the flight out of the way and to have another day (in China).

"The way that he recovered from the surgery went just as well. It just meant he was able to get running a lot more quickly … it was always spoken about – this sort of period – but we thought that would be optimistic. He's had no hiccups the whole way through and he's ready to go."

In another piece of good news for the Saints on the injury front, much needed after a dreadful run with star players being sidelined, prized recruit Dan Hannebery is set to take to the field in the VFL on Sunday against Coburg.

The club has conceded it had to rebuild his body after hamstring and calf issues during his final two seasons at Sydney, remnants of a body left battered and bruised by a decade of punishing his body during games and at training.

St Kilda is confident he is ready to go and can deliver his end of the bargain after signing a five-year deal (or more specifically, four seasons with a trigger to activate the fifth) on big money.

Richardson believes Hannebery, 28, will know how long he should spend with Sandringham before being promoted.

"He'll know (how many VFL games he needs). He's such an experienced player," Richardson said.

"If he plays well and has a real understanding of what we're doing and he's really confident in his body, then I wouldn't think 'Hanners' would take too long. 

"A couple of games of good form and feeling really confident in his body … it might take a month to get those two games. But I think he'll come to hand pretty quick."