Richmond star Brett Deledio will play at least one NAB Cup fixture in the lead-up to the home-and- away season as he recovers from a hamstring injury sustained in an intra-club hit-out three weeks ago.

The dual Jack Dyer Medallist is back running, with a return imminent and a Round 1 showing certain, if he survives the NAB Cup return.

"It's coming along really well. The hamstring is feeling a lot better than what it was and it's not sore or anything like that," Deledio told the Herald Sun.

"I'm running every second day, pretty much. I'm hoping to be right by NAB [week] three, if not NAB [week] four. The fitness staff are going to take a pretty cautious approach, though.

"I've got complete belief in them that they'll get me right and, touch wood, it will all be fine."

The hamstring scare was Deledio's first muscle tear and the midfielder admitted he wasn't sure of the damage when he first felt it.

"I was filthy, to be honest," he said.

"I've never done anything soft-tissue before so I was in the dark and wasn't sure what was going on.

"It was one of those things that just happened. But I'm in rehab now and enjoying hanging out with Kel Moore and David Astbury, I suppose."

Deledio has also given his strongest indication yet that when he next puts pen to paper for a new contract, it will be with Richmond.

"I love the place. They've always been really good to me and I'm hoping to have it all sorted out in the not-too-distant future, but these things take time and I can't expect it to be rushed," the 24-year-old said.

"If something comes up and it's right to go, then we'll be right to go. It's definitely not the case that I want to wait until the end of the season to get it done. It's all about getting the right deal and making sure everything is done right."