Shocking elbow to the jaw leaves Geelong’s Jed Bews concussed but ump REFUSES to award free kick

An umpire who was just metres away when Geelong’s Jed Bews got smashed by an elbow to the jaw from GWS’s Jesse Hogan has refused to award a free kick – only to be overruled by another ump who was 40 metres away from the sickening collision.

Bews failed his concussion test soon afterwards and took no further part in the Cats’ clash with the Giants in Canberra on Saturday night, with the incident leaving commentators scratching their heads.

The Geelong defender had just knocked the ball away from GWS star Toby Greene in the first quarter when Hogan picked it up. 

Jed Bews was smashed in the jaw with an elbow on Saturday but the incident was not punished

Jesse Hogan’s elbow made contact with Bews’ jaw just metres away from the umpire

However, the GWS star was not penalised for the incident during the first quarter on Saturday

Bews attempted to tackle him and was struck on the chin, fell to the turf and couldn’t get up as he showed obvious signs of distress.

An umpire who was about 10 metres from the hit, and running straight towards it, yelled ‘play on’ and started following the play upfield before the outer zone umpire intervened and gave the free.

‘The controlling umpire had a perfect view of that, did he not?’ said commentator Anthony Hudson.

His fellow caller Garry Lyon was mystified by the first umpire’s decision.

‘You’re the umpire closest, you’re 10 metres away, you saw it, you don’t pay the free. 

Geelong Cats bounced back from last week’s defeat by Fremantle with a comfortable victory

‘How come an umpire who is 40 to 50 metres away gets the priority call on that? I’d like to know who overturns who, and why?’

The decision – which Lyon described as ‘pivotal’ – resulted in the Cats scoring a goal.

Sideline eye Ben Dixon was able to reveal why the umpire who had by far the worse view of the shot on Bews was the one who made the decision to award the free kick.

The ump right near the incident originally signalled for a free kick to be given to Greene as a result of Bews’ tackle, so he ‘focuses on Toby while the lateral umpire keeps his eye on the ball’, Dixon explained.

Cats forward Jeremy Cameron raises his arm in the air in celebration after scoring

Geelong have a couple of big games ahead where they face St Kilda and Port Adelaide

‘The umpire from 50 metres away keeps his eye on the ball so he can see anything post-free kick.’ 

GWS had never held the lead in the match as of late in the third quarter, with Geelong looking set for an easy win as they led 10.15 (75) to 4.10 (34) six minutes before the last break.

Cats star Jeremy Cameron had kicked five goals by that point, with Mitch Duncan leading all players on 31 disposals and 11 marks in a standout performance.