Some of the first-round draftees in Melbourne after the 2022 AFL Draft. Picture: AFL Photos

CONTRACTS for top draftees are expected to be mandatory three-year terms under changes brought through the AFL's collective bargaining agreement talks with the AFL Players Association.

Under current rules, players selected in the national draft are all signed to standard initial contracts of two seasons.

However, northern clubs have long pushed for contract lengths to be extended for top draftees to assist with retention of young guns, with the move expected to be introduced for the first-round picks at the 2023 draft onwards.

The AFL proposed the longer three-year guaranteed contracts for the top 20 picks as part of the CBA talks in an effort for clubs to hold on to their best players and without needing to sign on early extensions.

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It is unclear if there will be capabilities for players who dominate in their first seasons, such as Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos and North Melbourne Rising Star Harry Sheezel, to be able to renegotiate for the third year onwards with bright starts.

With the CBA talks in their closing stages, players this week were asked to vote on a proposal from the players association for the joint AFL and AFLW deal.