Nathan Bassett Biography

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley will miss the club's clash against Melbourne in Alice Springs after entering Health and Safety protocols.

Forwards coach Nathan Bassett will coordinate messaging across the lines at each break in his place.

Orazio Fantasia has indicated a desire to return home to South Australia, with Port Adelaide believed to be his preference in that scenario.

Both the Power and Crows are aware of Fantasia's wish, but the Norwood product's longstanding relationship with Nathan Bassett has Port Adelaide in the box seat if Essendon agrees to trade him in 2019.

Fantasia played in Norwood's 2013 SANFL senior premiership team, coached by Bassett, who also mentored him in his junior days.

Bassett joined Essendon as an assistant coach soon after that Grand Final triumph, about a month before they drafted Fantasia with the No.55 selection.

"We have a really strong relationship," Fantasia said of Bassett at the time.

"Working with 'Bass' … has taught me a lot as both a player and as a person. I think I have grown and matured under him, and it is going to be good to work under him again."

Nathan Bassett will join Port Adelaide's coaching group ahead of the 2016 season.

"Nathan has a proven track record having built a league leading football program at Norwood," Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said.

"And what I know about Nathan Bassett is that he is a fierce competitor and we look forward to him joining the club to help drive and challenge the team."

Ex-Crow Nathan Bassett is named as Essendon assistant coach after leading Norwood to back-to-back flags in the SANFL.

"To work alongside the likes of Mark Thompson and Neil Craig is a fantastic opportunity and I can't wait to share my experience and football knowledge with this exciting group of players," Bassett said.

Nathan Bassett guides Norwood to consecutive premierships in the SANFL and says he believes he was close to an assistant coaching role at North Melbourne before the offer was retracted.

"It wouldn't be a bad time for me to end up in the AFL system if I want to be an AFL coach at some stage," he said.

"I'm speaking to a couple of clubs at the moment and then if someone offers you a job, you either take it or you don't."

With Michael Doughty's retirement, Luke Brown knows that a spot is available for him in defence if he is good enough to take it.

"Michael was a great leader for defenders in general and everyone around here," Brown said.

"The way he went about it and the way he went through his career – hard at it, helping out his teammates; I admire him a lot.

"The career he had was amazing, so to play anywhere close to the level he did would be exceptional for me."

Brown also says playing under former Crow Nathan Bassett for Norwood in the SANFL was greatly beneficial to his development as a defender.

"In my first year at Norwood (2011), Nathan gave me the confidence to play my way and run with the ball and do what I can," Brown said.

"That was probably why I had a such a good year and got drafted – the confidence to play week in week out with the Redlegs.

"I was in a bit of contact with him (Bassett) throughout last year just trying to figure out how to take the next step and he was really helpful."

Nathan Bassett announces his retirement, deciding to end his AFL career at the end of the season.

"I've certainly been thinking about it, really, since the first day of pre-season," Bassett said.

"It's something that's been there all along and through the first half of the season, it was really close to the forefront of my mind. So, I really made the decision, after having a chat with Neil, that I would try and convince myself to play on next year and to adjust my mindset as though this wasn't my last year, so I could keep playing and keep working towards something into the future.

"It's really only been the last couple of weeks that I've been thinking about it again, whereas a couple of weeks ago I probably felt really good. Before last weekend I really decided that this was it and it was time to move and do something else."