SILENCING the doubters has provided Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel with motivation throughout a career that hits the 300-game milestone at Simonds Stadium on Friday night.
 
The 32-year-old said having to contend with people who doubted whether he was quick or skilful enough to play AFL spurred him on.
 
With three premierships, a Brownlow Medal and a Norm Smith Medal next to his name in 299 games, there are no doubters now.
 
"I have always had people telling me what I can't do in football and so I have had to prove a lot of people wrong throughout my career," Bartel said.
 
"I sort of enjoyed that. It has always given me a little bit of a chip on my shoulder."
 
A local product, Bartel was selected at No.8 in the 2001 NAB AFL Draft and made his debut in round one, 2002 with Gary Ablett and David Johnson also playing their first game.
 
He began to emerge in 2004 and has been one of the game's premier midfielders in the past decade.
 
Bartel says he feels fortunate to have spent half his life at the club he grew up supporting, and he appears to share a special bond with the local fans.
 
"I feel like I really belong somewhere and I always belong here and I think that is because of the supporters and the fans and all the people you meet," Bartel said.
 
"You feel like you owe them so much and that is why you put in so much effort every week to try to win because you want to win it for them as well."
 
Bartel said he was focusing on enjoying his football rather than whether he would play on next season and he aimed to have a conversation about his future at season's end.
 
With the Cats sitting fourth on the ladder, they remain in the hunt for a premiership although Bartel says the competition is way too open for any bold predictions.
 
"If you look at the ladder and the results every week, it's such an even year [and there is the] unique situation of the bye coming into the finals," Bartel said.
 
"We're a chance but so probably are eight or nine other teams."
 
Bartel said his mum Dianne would be very proud to watch him play his 300th.

"Mum will be extremely proud but she has always said she does not measure me on my football ability or what I have achieved in sport. It's pretty much how I front up for dinner each week," Bartel said.
 
Bartel will share the spotlight with teammate Corey Enright who will break the club's games record (held by Ian Nankervis since 1983).
 
"I couldn't think of a better way to do it," Bartel said.