IN THE last quarter against Hawthorn in the qualifying final, Jimmy Bartel stood up.
He won the vital one-on-one that led to Josh Caddy's match-winning goal.
He had seven touches in the final term as the Cats had a close shave, something Bartel won't have until he removes his Ned Kelly-esque beard on the Thursday after the Grand Final.
His last possession was typical Bartel, putting his head in the hole to win a hard football and shooting off the handball to Joel Selwood, who used brute strength to get the football to his brother Scott in space.
The moment added to Bartel's reputation as a clutch player, someone who stands up when games are tight.
WATCH: Bartel's desperation pays off
Yet still conjecture remains about his place in the team heading into the preliminary final.
Nakia Cockatoo waits in the wings, but has played just two VFL games in seven weeks and no finals.
Josh Cowan is yet to play in a losing team while defenders Tom Ruggles and Jake Kolodjashnij were not at their best against the Hawks.
In finals, most of Bartel's numbers since 2007 are consistent with his output during the home and away season – except one statistic.
He has kicked a remarkable 22.4 in finals since 2007.
That speaks of composure under pressure.
In the past fortnight, the Cats' forward line has looked dangerous and synchronised.
It won the contested-ball differential inside 50 by 11 against Melbourne and then by a season-high 29 against the Hawks.
Bartel has been inside 50 both weeks.
There's a chance these next two weeks – if the Cats make it through to the Grand Final – could be Bartel's last stand, a bushranger relying on smarts and toughness to hold out.
What he does need to take on board in the next fortnight is that sometimes the coaches will know better than he does what he can do to help the team.
He's never been quick but he has always thought quickly, and he has a game sense developed over 304 matches. And his competitiveness is unmatched.
Bartel also has a natural match-up against the Sydney Swans, who thrashed Geelong by 38 points at Simonds Stadium in round 16.
In that game Sydney Swans defender Dane Rampe was impassable, taking five intercept marks and winning 13 intercept possessions.
Rampe spent 11 minutes on Bartel and Darcy Lang but had Daniel Menzel for company for 66 minutes.
In this week's preliminary final, he needs Bartel by his side for at least 66 minutes to quell his influence and allow Tom Hawkins to maintain his solid recent form in one-on-ones.
Bartel has had 25 one-on-ones in 2016 and either won or neutralised 21 of those.
His aerial power can bring the ball to ground for Menzel, Lincoln McCarthy and Steven Motlop to create damage.
He also has the stoppage smarts to protect the ball, an asset against a hardened Swans outfit that pounces on spillages in a flash.
No one knows what next year holds for Bartel, or for that matter, his equally celebrated teammate Corey Enright, but in the preliminary final the bearded one's task seems clear: stop the moustached Rampe.
Could Bartel be the key to stopping Dane Rampe's influence? Picture: AFL Photos
