THERE'S no panic just yet but if James Aish hasn't re-signed by round 16, the alarm bells will be ringing for the Brisbane Lions, captain Tom Rockliff says.

Aish is contracted until the end of this season but speculation about the South Australian's future has intensified, with Adelaide reportedly among the leading suitors.

Of the seven Lions drafted in 2013, the 19-year-old is the only yet to re-sign.

Rockliff said contracts were individual decisions and processes, but he desperately hoped Aish would recommit and stay with a club he said was heading in the right direction.

"Time will tell, and as the year plays out I'm sure they (the club) will get a better indication," Rockliff told AFL.com.au.

"If you get to round 15 or 16 and he hasn't signed, you'd probably think he'll leave.

"We'd love him to stay, we think he's a part of our future."

Coach Justin Leppitsch has an optimistic view of where Aish will play beyond this season.

The 227-game three-time premiership player knows what it's like to be coming out of contract and doesn't believe delaying things necessarily needs to be read into.

"We're hopeful James does sign sooner rather than later, to put that to bed, but we're in talks with his management all the time," Leppitsch told AFL.com.au.

"From what I understand, he's very happy, he's obviously a very important player for us, through our midfield and I can see him being a future leader for us one day.

"It's always difficult for young players when they leave home for the first time and they've got lots of decisions to make on their future and where it should be, and I think once we get past this hump I'm pretty confident James is going be a really long-term future player for our footy club."

Aish had a strong first season at the Gabba, playing 21 games and finishing fourth behind teammate Lewy Taylor in the NAB Rising Star Award.

He had an exceptional pre-season and was one of the best performed Lions during the NAB Challenge and looks ready to again be a regular in Justin Leppitsch's top 22.

Aish is from South Australian footy royalty but the teenager has settled into Brisbane easily in his first 16 months.

Rockliff says teammates and club hierarchy have done their best to convince Aish to stay, and now the decision was up to him.

"The biggest thing is he can have some success in Brisbane - we think we're on the right track," Rockliff said.

"Hopefully he can stay and hang around and enjoy that.

"We'll wait and see how it all plays out."

Leppitsch, a Victorian who moved north when drafted by the Lions in 1992 and made his debut as a 17-year-old the following year, conceded it was natural Aish was weighing up if he wanted to keep living outside his home state.

But he backed the Lions to show him why he should stay.

"There's a bit going through his head but I think the best thing we can all do is let him play football and leave him alone but unfortunately that's not going to happen with the media and the questions and so forth," he said.

"I don't talk to him about it, I never really have, I don't see the need to.

"I know he's enjoying his time at Brisbane and he's playing senior football and he's happy.

"You just need to be ready [to sign] and make sure you've made the right decision, and I think that's all James is doing – giving himself the time to make sure he's making the right decision."