Bartel out with tonsil trouble

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Geelong star Jimmy Bartel will miss the Cats' next two AFL pre-season NAB Cup games after having his tonsils removed.

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The 2007 Brownlow Medallist was among the best for Geelong in their weekend wins over Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne.

But assistant coach Blake Caracella said the midfielder had been struggling for weeks with tonsillitis.

"I think you try and get over these things for a while because you get sick then it goes away and then you get sick again," Caracella said.

"Jimmy's decided now that enough's enough, so he's getting it done."

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Caracella said Bartel was expected to be fine to play in the Cats' final pre-season match and the start of the pre-season.

Geelong open the season against St Kilda, with those two clubs also set to meet on Saturday night in the second round of the NAB Cup competition.

Captain Cameron Ling (hamstring), Matthew Scarlett (ankle), Paul Chapman (calf) and Travis Varcoe (shoulder), who all missed the NAB Cup opening round, will again sit out Saturday night's match.

Forward James Podsiadly will also miss the game after fracturing a hand on Sunday, with Ling and Podsiadly also in doubt for the start of the home and away season.