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St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary has undergone surgery to relieve pressure from a cork in his thigh after their AFL win over Melbourne.

St Kilda skipper Jarryn Geary's desperate act of courage has left him facing at least a month on the AFL sidelines.

The tough defender is in hospital after having surgery on a badly-corked thigh sustained during Saturday night's 40-point win for the ladder-leading Saints over Melbourne.

Geary suffered the injury in the third quarter while laying a fierce bump on Demons opponent Jayden Hunt, which prevented what would have been a certain goal.

He played out the rest of the game but was sent to hospital after experiencing severe pain from bleeding in the muscle after the match.

Doctors decided to operate to relieve the pressure in the muscle and Geary was recovering in hospital on Sunday.

"They've had to slice him open just to relieve the pressure," Saints coach Alan Richardson told Nine's Sunday Footy Show.

"He's probably going to be in hospital for a week and he won't play for a while.

"He's an inspirational leader. His teammates love him, we all love him.

"He continues to put his body on the line for his footy club and his teammates."

St Kilda said Geary would be assessed throughout the week before a clearer time frame was established for a return to training.

Magpies backman Jeremy Howe missed six weeks last season with a significant corked thigh which required a similar draining procedure.

The Saints have defied expectations this season to sit a game clear at the top after they dismantled the lacklustre Demons.

Richardson said his players had been determined to redeem themselves after the Saints managed just four wins last season to finish 16th.

"The fact we had such a disappointing year probably helped in some ways," he said.

"Embarrassment, disappointment, I don't know what it was but they want to do something about it.

"They are a great group of lads. They are working really hard."