RICHMOND is confident it will re-sign star defender Alex Rance despite his reluctance to start contract negotiations, Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale says.

The 25-year-old West Australian is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Gale said the Tigers were waiting for Rance to indicate he was willing to begin contract talks.

“We'd be pretty keen to talk to Alex in due course … we don’t put a timeline on these things, we will be happy to speak to Alex when he’s good and ready,” Gale told Channel Seven on Monday night.

"We're very confident in the relationship he has with the club, he's very happy and settled here.

"He's been playing good football for a few years and we're confident Alex will be secured."

Rance deferred contract negotiations with Richmond in January, saying he preferred to focus on playing an important role in the Tigers' back six.

"I'm just happy doing what I'm doing now and I'll let business take care of itself later," Rance told reporters in Gippsland in February.

Fremantle is believed to have shown an interest in luring the All Australian defender back to his home state.

Last month, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said Rance was a "very important player" and was happy with the backman's contract status.

"(Football manager) Dan Richardson and his squad are doing a very good job in that area, just trying to make sure we get signatures on," Hardwick told SEN radio in March.

"We're very lucky that Dustin (Martin's) committed long-term, Trent Cotchin the same, so we're confident."