Geelong legend Jimmy Bartel used his Hall of Fame inductee speech to give an emotional thank you to his mum Dianne for her support in the junior years of his career.
Bartel was one of seven football identities inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
“Mum, you always say it doesn’t need awards for you and I to have this bond, but my fondest memories are all those hours in the car criss-crossing Victoria, listening to your horrible taste in music doing the trivia, talking about school, talking about everything,” he said during his speech.
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“That’s what football was for me. Those hours and moments with you.”
Bartel’s father was an alcoholic who physically abused his mum. He grew a beard for the entirety of the 2016 AFL season to raise money for domestic violence.
Bartel played 305 games for the Cats in a career that spanned 15 seasons from 2002-2016. He won three premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011. In the last of those he also also won the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground.
He was named in the All-Australian team of 2007 and 2008, and was also the Brownlow Medallist of 2007.
Bartel was inducted alongside former Geelong teammate Corey Enright, SANFL legends Micahel Aish and Tom Leahy, four-time Hawks premiership player Sam Mitchell, former Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams, and legendary commentator Bruce McAvaney.
Williams, who himself played 377 games of top-level football across South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, coached Port Adelaide for 12 seasons through the 2000s, including the Power’s premiership in 2004.
Williams also used his acceptance speech to push the AFL to better-support Indigenous players in their journey towards the AFL, and continue it once they arrive.
“I love the fact the game brings my mates in the Aboriginal world, the multicultural world an opportunity to play and show what they can do,” he said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with the Jewish people … Muslim people, the Aboriginal people I love.
“I admire the AFL for talking and standing up for the Yes vote for the Voice. I am political, I am saying we have to do the right thing and understand how bloody hard it is for the Aboriginal players to make their way in the AFL.
“We need to support them, understand them, (and) when we get them there, make sure we give them an opportunity.
“And then absolutely demand the best from them, and expect the best. I want them to be best on ground, and not just making up the numbers. And on Grand Final day, that’s what we saw when Port Adelaide won.”
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