{"id":48255,"date":"2025-08-06T16:36:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T16:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/48255\/"},"modified":"2025-08-06T16:36:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T16:36:17","slug":"afl-great-jimmy-bartel-opens-up-on-incredibly-violent-father-and-dark-family-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/48255\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL great Jimmy Bartel opens up on \u2018incredibly violent\u2019 father and dark family past"},"content":{"rendered":"

Geelong<\/a> champion and Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel has revisited his dark childhood and time spent with an abusive, alcoholic father.<\/p>\n

Bartel, an Australian Football Hall of Famer<\/a>, has previously spoken about his violent father, but he has now shared more details about the relationship, and documented one \u201cscary\u201d night in particular.<\/p>\n

Bartel was only a baby when his parents split up but his father still featured in his life.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today \"Download<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t understand the reason for the separation early doors or the volatility in that relationship,\u2019\u2019 Bartel said on the A Life of Greatness podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though my parents divorced, my mum never said a negative word about my father, who was violent.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe battled alcoholism and gambling addictions and was incredibly violent towards my mum and others in my family (Bartel has two sisters).<\/p>\n

\"AFLAFL champion Jimmy Bartel has revisited his dark childhood and time spent with an abusive, alcoholic father. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

\u201cI was shielded a bit being younger but as you got older your eyes start to open (and) you go, \u2018That\u2019s not right\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt became a real tough thing for me to deal with.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pretty guarded and reserved, and I remember coming home, I went straight to my bedroom and then mum comes in and goes, \u2018What\u2019s wrong?\u2019 I just don\u2019t think he\u2019s the person I think he is … I didn\u2019t have a great time up there with him and had a pretty average night, one night with him, which is pretty scary for myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had been heavily drinking and things like that, he got pretty physical with myself, sort of stuff (behaviour) that you\u2019d put away and seen earlier, that sort of all came to the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bartel said his father would still came around to his family home, even though his mother had an AVO on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe came around and told her to lift the AVO or else he was going to take mum. And he did. He took my mum out of the house and took her,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember looking out the loungeroom window and he was taking my mum and I only found out until I was older, he was taking mum out to the back of Geelong and pretty much gave her the ultimatum, either remove the AVO or this is the end for you.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so it was a tough decision for my mum, do you leave three kids with no mum or you come back home and you remove the AVO and you try and manage things a different way.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it was, it wasn\u2019t until I was older, you know, in your teenage years where you start to work out, hang on, this is not the hero that you want as a dad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bartel also touched on his life with former wife (model and influencer) Nadia Bartel.<\/p>\n

\"JimmyJimmy Bartel and his former wife Nadia Bartel back in 2016. Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never commented on anything to do about my separation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never will because I just don\u2019t think it\u2019s needed. And so I just go about my business. I don\u2019t see what\u2019s so fascinating about myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike there\u2019s nothing that I can do and say. And other people\u2019s opinion on me is none of my business. And so they\u2019ll form their own narrative, their own thinking, or their own thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing that matters to me is the people that I care about and I just foster those relationships and it can be tough at times (because) you do want to bite back and you do want to respond or you want to go, \u2018Well, I\u2019ll say my bit,\u2019 but people don\u2019t care.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeep down they don\u2019t. The people who care are the people that actually care about you. And so that\u2019s all I\u2019m worried and focused about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bartel also spoke about his former teammate Joel Selwood, who this year lost his older twin brothers.<\/p>\n

\"JimmyJimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood are great mates. Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we can ever comprehend it,\u2019\u2019 Bartel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoel, who\u2019s obviously the famous Joel Selwood, there\u2019s a grandstand (named after him), he and I lived together for quite some time,\u201d Bartel said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen of course, his parents, my mum and his parents became quite close. I played over 13 years with Joel and shared so much with him. And I think the most difficult thing is, like, what do you say? And I know that\u2019s the minor end of the problem, but you just want to make it all better for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you think everyone\u2019s trying to make it all better for them, but trying to let them know whatever you need, we\u2019re there. And the resilience of that family is extraordinary. I still can\u2019t get my head around it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it gets put into laser focus with when you have your own kids (and) losing one child … every time you think about it, you think about Joel, you think about Scott, the youngest brother, and then Bryce and Maree, it\u2019s like, can you give me some of your hurt? And I think everyone thinks that, can you move some of that load on to us? Because no one deserves that.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT<\/a> on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au<\/a>. In an emergency, call 000<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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