Pies football manager Bartel is expected to take over for Collingwood Graham Wright.
According to reports, Jimmy Bartel is in negotiations to take over as Collingwood’s football manager. He will be leaving his role as GWS football director at the end of the 2024 season in order to play in the AFL. Furthermore, Bartel has already had initial discussions with Collingwood, which is keen to find a new football manager following Graham Wright’s retirement, according to SEN’s John Donohoe, who made this revelation on Tuesday.
Chris Davies, who was previously linked to the Pies, has decided to stay in Port Adelaide, thus it is said that the team is now considering Bartel as a potential Wright replacement. But it is also known that Melbourne is keen to bolster its football department and believes Bartel would be a suitable fit.
Bartel’s appointment follows Wright’s resignation from Collingwood in August, when he faced harsh criticism for taking a leave of absence during the Pies’ difficult season. Before the 2024 season, the 56-year-old told the Pies he wanted a vacation and even made a resignation offer to the team. Rather, it was agreed that Wright would take a year off and return rejuvenated.
However, Wright faced harsh criticism from the AFL community for traveling abroad with his family. Kane Cornes, a former player for Port Adelaide, particularly attacked Wright for sharing pictures of his trip on social media while the Pies’ hopes of winning the premiership at home faded. Cornes remarked that Wright’s decision to publicize his vacation while he was still playing the part made a bad impression.
“If he is out, he is out,” Cornes declared during the “Footy Classified” segment on Channel 9. “While we are sitting 12th on the ladder and attempting to make it to the finals, let us just pay him to have a vacation and watch his Instagram clips.
We should not blame anyone for taking a vacation or a break—the industry is quite demanding. However, after viewing the pictures of him on vacation that he posted on Instagram, I do not think it looks good when your team is ranked 12th and you are on vacation with your head of football.”
Jimmy Bartel in discussions with Melbourne and Collingwood
Wright, who spent 35 years in a row in the AFL as a player and then in a variety of off-field capacities, was a key component in Collingwood’s premiership victory last year. Even though the Magpies had hoped Wright would stay on following his hiatus, it was revealed in August that he would not be coming back.
Bartel is reportedly a top contender, and Collingwood views replacing him before the 2025 season as a top priority. But because of his personal friendship with coach Simon Goodwin, SEN’s Donohoe told AFL Trade Radio that he thinks the former GWS footy director could turn down the Pies role and sign with the Demons instead.
Donohoe said on AFL Trade Radio, “Watch Jimmy Bartel over the next month or two.” “From a club standpoint, he is a free agent as his employment as GWS’s (footy) director just ended. As far as I can tell, he has been in communication with Collingwood and Melbourne. Although it is early in the process, the Dees are eager to strengthen their football department, and he gets along well with Simon Goodwin.
It is clear that the Pies are now searching for a football manager. There is still lot to play in this one because they are in the midst of a review at the Dees, but Melbourne and Jimmy Bartel in particular should be watched closely.
Adelaide makes an effort to entice Graham Wright to the team.
While it is believed that the Crows are making a daring attempt to entice Wright, the former football manager of Collingwood, to Adelaide. Theo Doropoulos of 7News says that despite Wright being strongly connected to a position at AFL HQ following his departure from the Pies, the Crows think they can persuade him to relocate to Adelaide. Doropoulos stated on X that “the Crows are having a red hot go at Graham Wright to come and be the Godfather of Adelaide’s football department.”
“CEO Tim Silvers has been acquainted with 56-year-old Wright for more than ten years, going back to their Hawks days. The two recently had a formal meeting.”
