Talented, young Richmond midfielder Reece Conca will miss at least the next month of football, with a stress reaction in his right foot.

Conca, who had started the 2013 season in impressive form, had scans earlier this week, which confirmed the injury.

“The good thing is we picked it up this early.  It didn’t develop into a crack or stress fracture,” Richmond’s Elite Performance Manager, Peter Burge, told Roar Vision’s Musashi Medical Update.

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“If there’s a positive, it’s that it is a little bit shorter-term than a stress fracture.

“He’ll be in a boot for five to 10 days, until he starts to feel comfortable in testing.

“He’ll then progress to an Alter G running-type scenario, then back out onto the grass.”

Conca has averaged 20.5 disposals in his first four matches of the season, including 25 touches in a breakout Round 2 match against St Kilda.

He is currently ranked No. 1 at the Club for tackles (15), and No. 3 for kicks (53).

The Tigers travel to Perth on Thursday to take on Fremantle in Friday night’s Round 5 clash at Patersons Stadium, and the focus early this week was on recovery.

“This is our second six-day break in-a-row, and the accumulation of fatigue is something we monitor,” Burge said.

“Our guys have pulled up really well the last two weeks, and we expect to be ready to go on Friday night."