INJURY-PRONE St Kilda recruit Nathan Freeman could return to football as soon as next week as he recovers from yet another hamstring setback.

Freeman has lined up in two VFL reserves games this season, but was re-injured after both of those matches.

"It could be as early as next week. We're not sure. He's still got a few boxes he's got to tick," Saints coach Alan Richardson said at a club function on Friday.

"There's some top-end speed running that he's got to get through."

Richardson flagged the possibility that Freeman could return through the VFL rather than the development league.

"It depends a little bit on numbers, given the agreement that we have with Sandringham. There's only a certain amount of players that we can play," the coach said.

"If the numbers allow us to play him, there's a chance that he'll come back in (through the VFL), but that's something that we'll discuss."