Jimmy Bartel

Infobox afl player NEW
playername = Jimmy Bartel
fullname = James Bartel
image capt = Jimmy Bartel


birthdate = birth date and age|1983|12|4|df=y
birthplace = Victoria, Australia
originalteam = Geelong Falcons
draftpick = 8^th overall, 2001
Geelong Cats
heightweight = 187 cm / 86 kg
position = Midfielder
currentclub = Geelong
guernsey = 3
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
years = 2002 –
clubs = Geelong
games(goals) = 128 (81)
sooyears = 2008
sooteams = flagicon|Victoria Victoria
soogames(goals) = 1 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteams =
nationalgames(goals) =
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = Qualifying Final, 2008
repstatsend = HOF Game, 2008
careerhighlights = AFL

* AFL Premiership Player (2007)
* Brownlow Medal (2007)
* 2-time All-Australian (2007, 2008)
* 3rd in AFLPA Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player (2007)
* AFLPA Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player Nomination (2005, 2007)
* AFL Rising Star Nomination (2002)
* Victorian representative in the 2008 AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match

Geelong
* Runner-Up in Best & Fairest (2006, 2007)
* Most Geelong votes in the Brownlow Medal (2004, 2007)
* AFL Pre-Season NAB Cup Premiership (2006)
* VFL Premiership (2002)

TAC Cup

* All Australian U/18 (2000, 2001)
* TAC Cup Team of the Year (2000, 2001)
* TAC Cup Premiership (2000)
* Vic Country Most Valuable Player Award (2000)
* Vic Country U/18 (2000, 2001)
* Vic Country U/18 Captain (2001)
* Geelong Falcons Captain (2001)
* Geelong Falcons Best & Fairest (2000)
* Runner-Up Geelong Falcons Best & Fairest (2001)

Other
* Sports Performer of the Year Award Nominee (2007)

James "Jimmy" Bartel (born 4 December 1983) is an Australian Rules Football player for the Geelong Football Club. A midfielder at height|m=1.87 and convert|86|kg|0, Bartel is a Brownlow Medallist, an All-Australian, and was part of the Cats' premiership-winning team in 2007. He has also been selected to the Victorian state team, and has achieved premiership success at every playing level in his career to date. After starting out as a cricketer, Bartel turned his focus toward football and debuted in the TAC Cup as a bottom-aged player. There, he became a standout performer in the junior league, winning a National Championship, TAC Cup premiership medallion, a state Most Valuable Player award, and twice gaining selection in both the All-Australian and TAC Cup Team of the Year sides. After entering his name into the 2001 AFL Draft, Bartel was drafted by Geelong with the eighth overall pick. Since making his AFL debut in 2001, Bartel has gone on to play in VFL, AFL pre-season, and AFL premiership teams in 2002, 2006, and 2007 respectively.

Early life

James Bartel was born to Terry Bartel and Dianne Bennett in Geelong, Victoria. Bartel spent much of his childhood in Herne Hill without his father. With his parents divorcing when he was 1-years old, his mother was left to raise Bartel and his two elder sisters, Olivia and Emma, by herself.Edmund, S, [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22482728-5013707,00.html "Jimmy Bartel's father wants to bury past"] heraldsun.com.au, 26 September 2007, accessed 26 September 2007]

Beginning his junior football in Bell Park, Bartel left to attend the famous St. Joseph's College, where his talent for sports became evident early on.Heenan, M, [http://geelong.keldar.net/Articles/06032003_1.php "James Bartel Documentary"] The Cattery, 6 March 2003, accessed 6 October 2007] Bartel displayed initial promise as a cricketer, representing the Joeys in 1st XI cricket as a 16-year old, and winning the school's batting awards in both 2000 and 2001. This led to selection in the state under-17 team, before a switch in focus toward football instead saw Bartel selected to play for the Geelong Falcons team in the elite TAC Cup competition. Although his age deemed him ineligible for the 2000 AFL Draft, Bartel garnered an impressive array of accolades and honours as a bottom-aged player. Bartel won mid-year State honours for Victoria Country in the AFL National Championships, with his performances in the championship games earning him end-of-year All-Australian honours and the Most Valuable Player award for Victoria Country. In addition, he was named in the TAC Cup Team of the Year, won a TAC Cup premiership medallion with the Geelong Falcons, and claimed the Geelong Falcons Best and Fairest Award while still only 16-years of age.

Entering his second year with the Falcons, Bartel was rewarded with the team captaincy for the upcoming season. Again, Bartel won mid-year state honours for Victoria Country, and was additionally awarded the state captaincy. Although failing to repeat his previous success as national champion with Victoria Country, Bartel's individual performances again saw him earn All-Australian honours and gain selection in the TAC Cup Team of the Year.

Career

Bright beginnings (2002 – 2006)

Bartel was drafted by the Geelong Football Club with their first selection, and the eighth overall pick, in the 2001 AFL Draft. After making his debut in the opening round of the 2002 AFL Premiership Season, Bartel went on play in 11 out of a possible 22 senior games over the course of the year.FootyWire [http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-geelong-cats--james-bartel "Jimmy Bartel Statistics"] , footywire.com, accessed 30 July 2008] A 21 disposal performance in Round 4 saw him awarded an AFL Rising Star nomination, before a follow-up 28 disposal, 6 marks, 5 tackles and 2 goal best-on-ground performance earned him 3 Brownlow Medal votes at seasons end. Having been dropped back to the club's VFL team to play out the second half of the season, Bartel went on to play a key part in helping the young Geelong VFL side capture the 2002 VFL Premiership. In helping the Cats defeat Port Melbourne by 22 points, Bartel saw the club secure its first major piece of silverware since 1982. [O'Brien, B [http://www.gfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/Default.aspx?newsId=5614 "Cats crop ready for harvest"] afl.com.au, 20 January 2008, accessed 30 July 2008]

Despite an impressive debut season, Bartel struggled to maintain his spot within the team during the 2003 AFL season, featuring in only 13 senior games. Averaging just 12 disposals a game, Bartel was unable to help the Cats qualify for the finals for the third successive season. After just two senior appearances to begin the 2004 AFL season, Bartel was again dropped back to the VFL. Specifically asked by the coaching staff to work on particular aspects of his game, Bartel was deliberately made to work hard in the VFL for a recall into the senior side.Gullan, S, [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22484229-5013707,00.html "Humble lad Bartel tried his hardest"] Herald Sun Newspaper, 26 September 2007, accessed 6 October 2007] After consistently accumulating several best-on-ground performances in the VFL, Bartel was re-selected in the senior team for the Round 10 match against Port Adelaide. Although Geelong were eliminated in the preliminary final by reignining premiers Brisbane, Bartel's averages of 22 disposals and 5 tackles a game over the course of the season had seen him secure his position within the team's midfield rotation. His performances during the second-half of the season, during which he averaged 29 disposals and 5 tackles a game, also saw him recognised as the highest-polling Geelong player—with 13 votes in total—during the 2004 Brownlow Medal count.

Bartel continued to build on his reputation as a tough, courageous midfielder during the 2005 AFL season, winning his first nomination for the AFLPA Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player in the league. Averaging 19.6 disposals a game, Bartel again helped Geelong qualify for the season-ending finals series by finishing sixth on the AFL ladder. Meeting Sydney in the semi-finals, Geelong struggled to hold onto its slim lead during the final minutes of the match. Bartel was restricted to just 9 disposals as the Swans eventually won through to the preliminary finals, defeating Geelong by 3 points.

Brownlow boy (2007 – present)

During the 2007 season, Bartel established himself as one of the premier ball-winning midfielders in the competition, averaging over 27 disposals per game—the second highest possession average in the league—and finishing amongst the top 10 within the league for total disposals (632), total handballs (291), total tackles (122), and tackles per game (5.3). After helping the Cats claim the McClelland Trophy, he was again nominated for the AFLPA Robert Rose Award as the game's most courageous player, [ [http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=51352 "AFL players decide on competition's best"] afl.com.au, 19 September 2007, accessed 19 September 2007] and was also rewarded with his first All-Australian jumper. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22436098-661,00.html "Geelong dominates All-Australian team with nine selected"] , heraldsun.com.au, 18 September 2007, accessed 18 September 2007]

Bartel's standout season continued when he was awarded the prestigious Brownlow Medal, winning with 29 votes—the highest amount of votes ever by a Geelong medallist, and the third highest ever by any player under the current polling system—in a season that included eight best on ground performances. [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22476910-5013707,00.html "Jimmy Bartel wins the Brownlow Medal"] , heraldsun.com.au, 25 September 2007, accessed 25 September 2007] Despite missing the final two games of the regular season with burst appendix, Bartel also set an AFL record alongside teammate Gary Ablett Jr., for polling the most combined votes ever by two players of the same club. In addition, the pair combined with teammate Joel Corey to set another AFL record for most votes ever polled by three players of the same club, at 61 votes.

Capping off a finals series in which he had averaged 29 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, and a goal a game, Bartel won his first premiership medallion when he helped Geelong claim the 2007 AFL Premiership. Bartel's 28 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, and 2 goals in the 2007 AFL Grand Final helped the Cats claim an AFL-record 119 point victory over Port Adelaide.

Bartel didn't dropped off the pace at all in the 2008 season. He had a relatively quiet start to the season for his standards, but by mid-season he seemed to have hit full throttle and was close to best on ground for a number of weeks consecutively. After 21 rounds, Bartel was second in the competition in disposals (589) behind teammate Joel Corey and is one of the favourites for the Brownlow medal, yet again.

tatistics

: "Statistics are correct as of 27 August 2008 (Round 21)"FootyWire.com [http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-geelong-cats--james-bartel "Jimmy Bartel Statistics"] , footywire.com, accessed 8 August 2008]

{| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%; border-collapse:collapse;" width=72%
- style="background:#C1D8FF;"!width=3%|Season!width=5%|Team!width=2%|No.!width=3%|Games!width=3%|Disposals !width=3%|Kicks!width=3%|Handballs !width=3%|Marks !width=3%|Tackles!width=3%|Goals!width=3%|Behinds
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2008
Geelong
3
18
503
273
230
100
93
16
12
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2007
Geelong
3
23
632
341
291
143
122
18
8
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2006
Geelong
3
21
484
297
187
139
79
15
12
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2005
Geelong
3
24
470
274
196
131
94
18
5
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2004
Geelong
3
16
348
222
126
90
78
3
8
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2003
Geelong
3
13
157
71
86
37
31
5
2
- style="background:#F5FAFF;"
"2002
Geelong
3
11
140
71
69
29
26
3
2
- style="background:#EFEFEF;"!colspan=3|Career Totals
126
2734
1547
1185
669
523
78
49

Honours

*"Team"
**AFL Premiership with Geelong: 2007
**AFL McClelland Trophy with Geelong: 2007
**NAB Cup with Geelong: 2006
**VFL Premiership with Geelong: 2002

*"Individual"
**Brownlow Medal: 2007
**All-Australian: 2007, 2008
**Victorian Team representative honours in AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match: 2008
**Geelong Advertiser Bendigo Bank Sports Star of the Year Award: 2007
**Sports Performer of the Year Award: 2007
**TCM AFL Performers of the Year Award: 2007

*"Other achievements"
**2nd in Carji Greeves Medal: 2006, 2007
**3rd in AFLPA Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player: 2007
**Most Geelong votes in the Brownlow Medal: 2004, 2007

Personal life

Although his father kept in regular contact and maintained a stable relationship with Jimmy and his sisters throughout their childhood, an incident during Bartel's 21st Birthday caused ties to be severed. Accusing his father of being an aggressive and heavy drinker, Bartel was forced to take a stand, and has sinced severed all contact with him. In the aftermath of Bartel's victory in the 2007 Brownlow Medal count, the family's issues were spotlighted throughout the media, after an interview with Terry Bartel by the Herald Sun revealed his plea for reconciliation with his children.

Off the field, Bartel holds a part-time job within the Geelong Football Club's social welfare department. He studied Social Work at Deakin University [ [http://www.thecattery.com.au/Articles/02062007_1.php "Jimmy comes of Age"] ] , and is now completing a degree in business and law through Open University. [Connolly, R [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/brownlow-mettle/2007/06/01/1180205514199.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2 "Brownlow mettle"] , The Age Newspaper, 2 June 2007, accessed 8 August 2008]

Bartel is also one of only ten original recipients of the Crown Ambassador Reserve, alongside the likes of the Queen, John Howard, Hugh Jackman, and Ian Thorpe. [WineState [http://www.winestate.com.au/news/news.asp?newsno=1592 "Introducing Australia's first limited edition luxury lager – a royal standard"] , winestate.com.au, 2007. accessed 29 July 2008]

Growing up, Bartel was a supporter of the Richmond Football Club. [Leach, F [http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=2908 "Bartel Wins Rising Star Nomination"] , afl.com.au, 23 April 2002, accessed 8 August 2008] Bartel lives in the Geelong suburb of Newtown with teammate Ryan Gamble.

Footnotes

External links

*AflRleague|ref=J/Jimmy_Bartel.html
*Geelplayer|ref=14206