TonyK
Tash Jayasinghe
CibbuanoBassett calls it quits
August 27th 2008 05:09
ADELAIDE defender Nathan Bassett revealed on Wednesday that he will hang up the boots at the end of this season.
The 31-year-old, who has played 208 games for the Crows, was drafted by Melbourne in 1997 but was traded to Adelaide at the end of the same year.
Bassett is one of only eight players to play over 200 games with Adelaide and he also earned All-Australian honours in 2006.
He currently has 11 finals matches to his credit but wasn't part of Adelaide's second premiership team in 1998.
Bassett said the wear and tear of AFL football is starting to take its toll.
"On the weekend I was pretty sore going into the game and it was like I can't do anything more to prepare myself to play AFL football," Bassett said.
"I've done everything right to get myself right, it was an eight-day break, and I still feel I can't play to my best level and it's not going to get any better."
"The game has changed so much during my career and I think as a player you have to adapt to it."
"So it's such a running game you need to be a good athlete and I've done my best to try and keep pace with but it's only going to get faster."
Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said Bassett had made a major contribution to the club.
"Nathan retires as a life member of our club," Trigg said.
"Since commencing in 1998, he has grown enormously in terms of his leadership, and the contribution he has made to the culture of our playing group - especially in recent years - has been very significant."
"We’ll always remember the animated ‘Bass’ responses, the selfless acts of courage and the long runs out of defence which were trademarks of his 11 years as a player.
“We thank and congratulate him on an outstanding career.”
The 31-year-old, who has played 208 games for the Crows, was drafted by Melbourne in 1997 but was traded to Adelaide at the end of the same year.
Bassett is one of only eight players to play over 200 games with Adelaide and he also earned All-Australian honours in 2006.
He currently has 11 finals matches to his credit but wasn't part of Adelaide's second premiership team in 1998.
Bassett said the wear and tear of AFL football is starting to take its toll.
"On the weekend I was pretty sore going into the game and it was like I can't do anything more to prepare myself to play AFL football," Bassett said.
"I've done everything right to get myself right, it was an eight-day break, and I still feel I can't play to my best level and it's not going to get any better."
"The game has changed so much during my career and I think as a player you have to adapt to it."
"So it's such a running game you need to be a good athlete and I've done my best to try and keep pace with but it's only going to get faster."
Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said Bassett had made a major contribution to the club.
"Nathan retires as a life member of our club," Trigg said.
"Since commencing in 1998, he has grown enormously in terms of his leadership, and the contribution he has made to the culture of our playing group - especially in recent years - has been very significant."
"We’ll always remember the animated ‘Bass’ responses, the selfless acts of courage and the long runs out of defence which were trademarks of his 11 years as a player.
“We thank and congratulate him on an outstanding career.”
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