Star Richmond key defender Alex Rance has been re-energised following an extended off-season break.

Rance, coming off an outstanding 2015 season in which he won his first Jack Dyer Medal and gained All-Australian selection for the second time, had a long holiday in America with his wife.

He returned to Tigerland for pre-season training in early January and is jumping out of his skin as the countdown to bouncedown 2016 begins . . .

Win the 2016 Tigers Golden Ticket by becoming a Richmond member

“It was really nice just to get out of Australia and get footy off the brain for a little while and freshen up,” Rance said on Channel Nine.

“I feel really great now . . . really invigorated and ready to go again. 

“We had a time trial on the first day (back after the Christmas break) and I ran pretty close to a PB.

“I knew that I’d put in the work and I was pretty confident.”

Rance, who was recently added to Richmond’s playing leadership group, is taking a pragmatic approach to questioning about the Tigers’ capacity to take the next step in 2016 after three consecutive elimination final defeats.

“When you look too far ahead, that’s when you fall over your own shoelaces.  So we’re really just focusing on the little things that can keep us in the game,” he said.