On Saturday night the Crows secured their third night grand final in six years after overcoming Hawthorn by 23 points.
In the past three seasons the team that has claimed the pre-season prize has failed to make the finals of the premiership season. Carlton, who won the NAB Cup in 2005 and 2007, went on to finish 16th and 15th respectively in those two years.
Essendon (in 2000) is the only team in the last decade to do the double, winning both the pre-season and regular season premierships in the same year.
But Bassett says Adelaide’s pre-season history supports his case that what the Crows are exhibiting is genuine, not faux form.
Adelaide won its first pre-season flag after defeating Collingwood in the final of 2003 and went on to finish fifth on the premiership ladder that same year.
The Crows also made the NAB Cup decider in 2006 and despite losing to Geelong went on to finish third in the premiership season after bowing out in the preliminary final to West Coast.
“From our perspective I think our NAB Cup form is a pretty good show of how we go in the season,” Bassett said.
“I think in past years when we’ve performed well going into the regular season it’s tended to flow on.
“What other teams do I can’t say, but from our perspective, last year we started a bit slow and we took that into round one. The year before, we started quite well during the pre-season and we took that into the regular season.
‘From the club’s perspective I’d like to think that we had a plan to start the season a bit faster this year and so far it’s gone OK.”
Bassett made a successful return from a broken ankle in Saturday night’s NAB Cup Semi-Final win over the Hawks.
It was the first game for the All-Australian defender since he suffered the injury in round 13 of last season.
“Saturday night’s game was enjoyable,” Bassett said.
“I hadn’t played for eight months, so it was good to get out there amongst the back six. It’s a good group to be a part of and it felt good to be back in the side.”
Bassett will be a part of the near full-strength Adelaide side that will tackle St Kilda at AAMI Stadium next Saturday night.
The Crows will use the NAB Cup decider to put the finishing touches on their side for round one when Adelaide will head to Melbourne to play the Western Bulldogs.
“I think on Saturday night we’ll be looking to get a team together that is going to be something close to what we’re putting on the park in round one,” Bassett said.
“So those guys will take the field and when we’re out there we’ll do the best we can to win the game.”
