Kane Cornes has a message for top AFL draftees who are beginning to establish themselves - Do not re-sign too early.

First-round draftees currently receive automatic three-year deals after being picked by an AFL club.

While that gives clubs greater control over young players while giving early picks some time to develop, Cornes doesn’t understand why so many are extending in their second year.

If Cornes were a top pick who has made an immediate impact, he’d be holding out on re-signing until the year when that initial contract expires to increase potential earnings.

He pointed to Nick Watson as an example, with the small forward re-signing in his second season until the end of 2029.

If Watson lets his contract run into its final year of 2026, Cornes believes his earning potential would be through the roof, given how well he’s started his third season.

“When you are drafted, you sign an automatic three-year contract now in the first round,” Cornes said on SEN Locked In.

“My message to those first-round picks and the quality coming through. Do not extend your contract before you have to. Go into your third year is my message.

“If you are a star and if things are tracking really nicely for you, go into that third year out of contract, because you are costing yourself so much cash.

“I don't know what the Wizard (Nick Watson) has signed for; he signed last year until the end of 2029. For 2027, I would think he's on about $800,000, that would be my guess.

“But if he was out of contract and he just let that run out Zak Butters style, I reckon he's costing himself $300,000 to $400,000 a season over the length of the next little bit.

“Sam Darcy did it, and Riley Thilthorpe did it (re-sign early). Just let yourself go into the year out of contract.”

While letting a contract run out always carries an injury risk, Cornes thinks that should only be a consideration for players who have real concerns over their health.

“There's always that risk (with injury),” Cornes said.

“But if I'm Willem Duursma, go into that third year, don’t extend, we see it all the time.

“Unless you're really paranoid about your body and there's an issue that you're worried about… you might be Jagga Smith who's done a knee already, and you go, ‘Ok, I get it, Jagga Smith's extended. He's cost himself money, but he's got the security because he's worried about his body’.

“But if you're a high-quality player already and you've established yourself in two years, don't sign in that second year.”