FORMER St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary is joining the Western Bulldogs in the latest change to the football department at the Whitten Oval. 

After adding Matt Egan as coaching and performance manager and Daniel Pratt as backline coach last week, Geary has now been signed as a development and player leadership coach. 

The 35-year-old called time on his 207-game career at the Saints midway through 2022 after battling significant injuries in the twilight of his 16-season career. 

Since then, the Bendigo Pioneers product has worked alongside veteran AFL high performance coach Matt Hornsby as leadership and performance manager at SANO Health. 

Geary will work closely with the VFL and AFL programs in a development capacity, the leadership group and provide leadership services to the wider club.

The Western Bulldogs have been renovating the football program since the club missed out on playing finals following a disappointing 12-11 season. 

Favourite son Rohan Smith, assistant coach Marc Webb and development coach Travis Varcoe all departed at the end of the season. 

The club has been searching for replacements across a number of different areas, as well as adding new roles in coaching and leadership to support Luke Beveridge. 

Geary was universally loved at St Kilda and admired for his work ethic, selflessness, toughness and leadership skills, rising from the rookie list to carve out a long AFL career. 

The Saints' life member spent nine years in the leadership group, replacing Nick Riewoldt as skipper and holding that title for five years, sharing the final season with Jack Steele, who has since become sole captain. 

The Western Bulldogs are still searching for a head of high performance ahead of pre-season following Mathew Inness' departure to West Coast.