ANDREW McLeod's house is an "oasis" to Adelaide's indigenous players, according to emerging midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen.

McLeod has been a terrific friend to the club's indigenous players in recent seasons.

Ellis-Yolmen, Eddie Betts, Charlie Cameron, Anthony Wilson are regularly invited around to his place and as recently as Wednesday night they gathered there to watch the rugby league state of origin.

The club legend, whose 340-game career bore two premierships and Norm Smith Medals, three best and fairest awards and five All Australian caps, was Ellis-Yolmen's favourite as he grew up.

The 22-year-old said his hospitality away from the football club was incredible.

"It's an oasis, it's awesome to be able to go and chill out with one of your favourite players and then hang out with Eddie and Charlie and Anthony outside of football," Ellis-Yolmen said.

"Growing up he was always my favourite player so it's awesome to be at the same club as him and be sitting next to him (at the press conference).

"He's a role model for so many indigenous players around the country."

The quietly spoken midfielder has walked tall in 2015, averaging almost 20 possessions a game in a breakout year.

He missed rounds six and seven with a hamstring injury, but the faith held in him by coach Phil Walsh was evident by his immediate recall to the senior side against Greater Western Sydney last weekend.

McLeod said his knack for extracting the football from a stoppage meant the 189cm, 94kg Ellis-Yolmen was Adelaide's answer to superstars Jobe Watson and Nat Fyfe.

"We've seen, particularly at the start of the year, how important he's been," McLeod said.

"His ability in close at stoppages, to get the ball out and give his teammates opportunities is something that excites the fans.

"That big-bodied midfielder is the way AFL is going and he fits that mould.

"Jobe Watson, Nat Fyfe, I think 'Curly' (Ellis-Yolmen) is in that mould and it's great for the club to be able to have someone they can build something like that around."

Ellis-Yolmen also credited fellow midfielder Sam Kerridge for taking his game to the next level.

Kerridge is the fittest player at West Lakes and pushed his teammate over the summer to get in the shape required to play consistent senior football.

"He's been really good to me, we got drafted the same year and we've become really good friends," Ellis-Yolmen said.

"He's just such a good athlete – he does everything right and I thought it'd be good to jump on the back of him and he's helped me a lot over the last pre-season [in] getting my fitness up to the level it needs to be.

"I really wanted to have a good season this year, play in the team as much as I could – I just really wanted to play footy for the club finally."