Dependable, reliable, consistent… you get the gist.
Jed Bews is the epitome of the above. A fierce competitor and loyal team man, Geelong’s small defender is one of the first picked every week by coach Chris Scott.
In 2021, he further strengthened his position within the team as an integral member of Geelong’s defensive group with his ability to help shutdown the opposition’s best small forwards week after week.
Whilst that’s a trait we’ve all come to admire about Bews in his eight AFL seasons to date, in 2021 he added new weapons to his arsenal with his ability to find more of his own footy and utilise his blistering speed off half back to great effect.
Bews registered a career-high disposal count against North Melbourne in Round 20, one of three games where he registered more than 20 touches. He also collected more rebounds, running bounces, inside 50s, uncontested possessions and score involvements this year than any other prior.
Bews’ improvement and consistency saw him rewarded with a ninth-place finish in this year’s Carji Greeves Medal and was one of only two Cats to play every game this season.
The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract extension this year. Now with 128 career games to his name, Jed is slowly closing in on his father Andrew who played 207 games for the Club.
Season Averages
Disposals: 13.8 (17th at Geelong)
Kicks: 8.8 (14th at Geelong)
Uncontested Possessions: 10 (13th at Geelong)
Intercept Possessions: 3.5 (8th at Geelong)
Score Launches: 1.6 (9th at Geelong)
Marks: 4.6 (11th at Geelong)
Effective Kicks: 6 (13th at Geelong)
Metres Gained: 252.5 (11th at Geelong)
Rebound 50s: 1.6 (10th at Geelong)
Standout Moment
Goals have been a rare sighting for Jed Bews throughout his career with only 15 from 128 games, so when he wheeled around onto his non-preferred left foot at the back of a stoppage in Geelong's Round 5 win against the North Melbourne to slot a classy goal it was a standout moment.
Stats File
Bews has arguably the toughest task in football today, playing on the oppositions best small forward each week. Aside from his opponent’s knack for hitting the scoreboard, the other trait they also usually possess is elite pace.
Thankfully for Bews that’s an area he excels in too. According to Telstra Tracker In 2021, he recorded the second fastest speed by a Cat with his 35km/h clocked in Round 10 second only to Gary Rohan with 35.4km/h in Round 5.
Game-Breaking Performance
Jed Bews was Geelong’s best performer during Rounds 20 and 21.
He recorded a career-high 24 disposals and 12 marks in Geelong’s victory against North Melbourne in Hobart. Then backed up that performance a week later with 23 touches and was the only Cat to feature in the coaches votes in the loss to GWS.
