ST KILDA captain Nick Riewoldt is still striving for his best football despite struggling to find form this season.

Riewoldt was nullified in Friday night's loss to Collingwood and at times showed his frustration at poor delivery from teammates further up the ground.

While admitting he is not quite at the top of his game at the moment, Riewoldt said he was happy with his endeavor.

"No doubt I'm clearly not at my absolute best but one thing is for sure, I'm really trying and my preparation is as good as it's ever been," Riewoldt said.

"I am preparing well. If it was an effort-based thing, I'd fix that up. I said I've got to keep playing my role within the team and those bigger days will come as I continue to prepare well and the team continues to go well."

Riewoldt said he, like the team, was slow out of the blocks this season after a tumultuous summer off the field.

"I think I fall in with the rest of the team in that situation. We took a while to get going at the start of the year and we took a bit of time to find that momentum," he said.

"I think in the last three months the performances we've been able to put out on the park suggests that we've found our groove and are playing the football that has made us a threatening team over the past few seasons. That's what it's about for us and continuing to improve."

The Saints take on the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium this week, which Riewoldt admitted suited his style of game more than the close confines of the SCG.

"You'd probably prefer the open spaces a little more but again, we are not limited by the size or the area of the ground," he said.

"We are confident we can put in a good performance regardless of where we play."

Three weeks out from the finals, the Saints are poised to find themselves in an elimination final, most likely with Essendon.

Riewoldt said their final ladder position was irrelevant, as they simply had to be playing at their best at the right end of the season.

"One thing about finals is that you've got to get there first. We need to book our place first. Once you get there, you've got to beat everyone anyway really," he said.

"Regardless of who you come up against, if you want to go all the way, you've got to beat everyone."

Luke Holmesby covers St Kilda news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_LHolmesby.