Ominous sign in star’s farewell

JIMMY Bartel’s tour of the crowd following Saturday’s 111-point thrashing of Melbourne did not go unnoticed.

There was more than a hint of a farewell about the Brownlow medallist’s actions — a final salute to the Simonds Stadium crowd that had so passionately supported him throughout his career.

While Bartel has not announced any plans to hang up the boots at the end of this season, question marks have been hanging over his playing future for the past month following the revelation that he might be required to play part of his final year in the VFL.

There is no doubt that many Cats fans believe the handling of the future of one of their most beloved modern champions has left a bit to be desired.

Instead of a celebration of a brilliant career, recent weeks have seen endless speculation over whether Bartel would, or even should, play on.

The 300-game veteran admitted yesterday that he was uncertain about his future and would assess things at the end of this season. But his actions on Saturday perhaps showed a glimpse of where his head — and heart — are currently leaning.