REECE Conca is tracking well for a return from his ankle injury, with Richmond expecting the Tiger to be back before the end of the home and away season.

The 25-year-old went down in a sickening incident in the club's round 15 win over Sydney, and there were fears his year would be cut short by a fractured ankle.

But Conca, who has suffered a run of bad injury luck throughout his career, was buoyed by the news he had escaped serious injury and merely dislocated the ankle.

Coach Damien Hardwick said Conca has ramped up his rehabilitation program and remains on track for a return to football before the end of the season.

"He's running at the morning so he's moved from the Alter G (running machine). He's running laps [as of] Tuesday, so he's started to progress which is great. We're very confident he'll play some football," Hardwick said on Thursday.

"When it is we're not too sure, but we think it will be before the finals."