Matt Crouch's teammates are appealing to the club champion to remain with the Adelaide Crows as he ponders his AFL future.
Crouch's exit talks with coach Matthew Nicks this week will determine if he stays at Adelaide after falling out of selection favour.
The 2017 club champion was dropped three times and played just 11 AFL games this season, in which the Crows finished 14th.
Crouch, 27, averaged 37 disposals a game in state league ranks and is contracted at the Crows until the end of next season.
"Obviously it wasn't his greatest year and it would have been frustrating for him being out of the team," his teammate Tom Doedee told reporters on Monday.
"We saw what he does in the SANFL, he can still perform and even when he played at AFL level he was performing at the level.
"We want him to be a part of this team.
"He is still an Adelaide Crow and he is great for this group on-field and off-field, so ideally he sticks with us.
"I know it has been difficult for him, it has.
"And I can say from first-hand experience how well he has handled it ... if he sticks around, which I hope he does, it would be a big win for us."
Crouch was squeezed out of an Adelaide midfield group which will add captain Rory Sloane next year.
Sloane played just four games this season and required a knee reconstruction.
Doedee is considered the man most likely to succeed 32-year-old Sloane as skipper, but said there was no talk of an imminent handover.
"He has been as good a leader as ever off the field," Doedee said.
"We obviously know what he brings on the field as a leader but his coaching stuff and his work off the field is just what you expect from Sloaney.
"It (a handover) hasn't been brought up because it doesn't need to be because he's the captain."
