Jimmy Bartel set to trigger new contract but may be forced into pay cut, time in VFL

JIMMY Bartel is set to trigger a clause in his contract which will allow him to play in 2017 but it may not be enough for the 300-game star to keep his career going.

Jimmy Bartel in action in his 300th AFL game.

JIMMY Bartel will in coming weeks trigger a clause in his contract which will allow him to play in 2017.

But the catch is it might not be attractive for the Brownlow medallist to keep his career going.

Bartel has been told by Geelong he will have to be prepared to play VFL matches next year if he chooses to activate his new contract — and that a discussion about a pay cut will have to be had.

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“He will trigger his clause, there’s no issue there,” Cats chief executive Brian Cook said on Monday.

“If he wants to play next year he will play ... but there’s a couple of things he needs to consider, as we do.

“The decision will be left in Jimmy Bartel’s hands in relation to his contract next year.”

Corey Enright and Jimmy Bartel are chaired off after their milestone games.

Bartel’s manager Lucy Mills said she expected Bartel to activate his new contract, but conceded there was a “possibility’’ Bartel might not.

“Is there a possibility? I suppose there could be,” Mills said.

“To this point, he’s playing good footy, he’s enjoying footy, he’s excited about the finals series and he’s keen to play on.

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“If it gets to that point, he will sit down with the club and they will have a chat about next year, see and where he fits.”

Initial discussions with coach Chris Scott - held about Round 17 when Bartel was rested for the Fremantle game - were said to have slightly surprised the veteran.

The discussions centred on the club’s stance that he won’t play every game next year and that youth would be blooded into the team.

Jimmy Bartel is set to trigger a new contract for 2017. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Cats put the same scenario to Paul Chapman at the end of the 2013 season. Chapman rejected the offer and joined Essendon on a two-year deal. It’s possible, although extremely unlikely that Bartel could leave the Cats to continue his career elsewhere.

Bartel, who will be 33 in December, will plays his 18th game of the season this week against Essendon.

Cook said the club had been upfront with Bartel and the issues that he had to confront.

“One is will he play every game next year? And the answer is he may not and if he doesn’t play every game is he willing to play VFL? That’s an issue we think about,’’ Cooke said.

“There’s the issue of whether he wants to get into coaching and when he wants to do that and who he wants to do it with, there’s been discussion around that.

“And there’s list management and the TPP (total player payments). We have to manage that as well.’’

Cook said another veteran, Corey Enright, had undertaken several roles at the club this year, including community work and staff training workshops.

He intimated Bartel would stay in football after his playing career.

“Every player has to go through a transition, whether it’s here or somewhere else, it’s up to Jimmy, we want it to be here and he may stay here forever, but I think his future will be in footy,” he said.

“So for us, it’s not about next year, that’s already been taken of, he’s playing, he’s going to have a contract, it’s the years following.”