RICHMOND'S biggest threat to losing free agent Alex Rance may not be from a rival club, but from the defender himself. 

Rance is weighing up his options for 2016, one which includes the possibility of walking away from the game.

Fremantle's interest in luring the Western Australian junior home is believed to have tempered, with the Brisbane Lions launching a bid for Rance to headline their ageing defence. 

Richmond is aware of the retirement possibility of its All Australian defender, as are people well-known to Rance.

The Tigers' new offer to Rance is lucrative, comfortably comparable with outside offers.

The 25-year-old has many interests outside football, and has never viewed football as the be-and-end-all of his life.

Tigers teammate Brett Deledio said the club would support Rance in any decision he made on his future.

"We'll support him fully as teammates and a footy club, for my sake fingers crossed it all gets sorted out," Deledio said when asked about Rance on Channel Nine.

"It certainly doesn't stand out judging by the way that he's playing at the moment, unbelievable passion and want to win every contest that he's in.

"Rancey's his own man and he'll come to whatever decision he wants to." 

Deledio said the pending decision was having no impact on Rance's start to the season.

"I don't think we're getting distracted by it too much at all," he said. 

"I haven't spoken to him directly about it, I'm not really aware of it in any great detail. He is a different cat."

Rance is an unrestricted free agent at season's end so the Tigers are unable to match a rival offer should he wish to leave. 

The Lions' bid is being led by coach, and former Richmond assistant, Justin Leppitsch, who Rance spent four years under at Punt Road.