JIMMY Bartel, the kid from the northern suburbs of Geelong who grew up watching his beloved Cats from behind the northern goals at Kardinia Park, last night added another chapter to Geelong's fairytale 2007 season by winning the Brownlow Medal.

Bartel, 23, the tough-as-teak midfielder who has played such a big part in Geelong's rise to the grand final, polled 29 votes to win by seven votes.

Not even his absence from the final two rounds of the home-and-away season after having his appendix out could halt his charge to the medal. Nor could the more romantic idea that Gary Ablett, son of a Geelong legend and the raging favourite for the game's most prestigious individual medal, stop Bartel from winning.

Ablett was prominent throughout but his 20 votes were enough only to give him a spot in the top handful of players. Brisbane Lions champion centreman and 2002 medallist Simon Black, the Kangaroos' Brent Harvey and West Coast's Daniel Kerr were tied for second with 22.

Bartel, Ablett and Joel Corey (12 votes) polled between them 61 votes, a record for three players from the one side, which illustrated the brilliance of the Cats' midfield. Geelong also broke its club record of 103 votes (1991), by polling 106 across all players.

Bartel was always in the mix but he clinched the victory with a trio of best-afield performances in rounds 18, 19 and 20. He hit the lead after round 19, and when Channel Seven's Bruce McAvaney detoured from the podium to interview him at the Geelong table, Bartel scarcely could gather a word. "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

His three-vote game against the Kangaroos in round 20 made the result clear. "Off the top, it's pretty hard. I'm trying not to shake up here," he said after receiving the medal, before acknowledging his old club at Bell Park in the Geelong league. "You don't forget where you came from."

Bartel went to the renowned football school of St Joseph's College in Geelong with the likes of Cameron Ling, the same school that produced Matthew Scarlett.

Bartel's win was not a surprise. He was on the fifth line of betting at $10 after a brilliant season in which he averaged 27.9 disposals for each of his 20 regular-season games, the highest number in the league. Not content to sit outside and win the easy ball, he was among the league's leaders in contested possessions as well.

It was Bartel's first appearance at a Brownlow count. "I'm definitely embarrassed by it at the moment. It's a pretty humbling experience even to get your name read out for a vote at the Brownlow, let alone win one on the night. I'm still in a bit of shock, actually."

Last night, he was heading home to Geelong with Ling. Before leaving, he celebrated briefly with teammates and friends in an ante-room at Crown, but had to fulfil the team's commitment to teetotal lifestyle until the end of the season. Bartel said he probably would not sleep with the medal. "We'll drop it off at Mum's so I don't lose it."

Bartel said he did not anticipate any problems regaining focus for Saturday's grand final against Port Adelaide. "We've had a few things pop up for us this year, both negative and positive, and I think we've dealt with them very well. The All-Australian (announcement) the other night, our winning streak during the year, even at the start of the year we were supposed to have a terrible list. We needed to start playing for draft picks. As a club, we've dealt with everything level-headed."

Bartel's previous best-and-fairest award was at Bell Park, the club that lost a Geelong league grand final last weekend, and where the locals held their own Brownlow Medal function last night. "It's up there. I think they spelt my name wrong the first time. It's all fixed up now."

A No. 8 draft pick in 2001, he has been a fine midfielder for Geelong for some years but surged this season, winning All-Australian honours.

Bartel's win continues Geelong's domination of the season that includes winning the Rising Star award (Joel Selwood), the minor premiership and the VFL premiership. The Cats' major mission, of course, is ahead.

There were few big surprises in the poll at Crown last night, although Chris Judd, the 2004 winner, polled votes in each of the first eight rounds to be the runaway leader.

Magpie Dane Swan was another surprise, racking up 16 votes in the first half of the season despite not even being invited to the count. Nathan Buckley was forced to explain that the club was enduring its Mad Monday celebrations, and Swan was "probably ready to catch a cab somewhere if needed".