Matthew Jeremy Bowen (born 9 March 1982) is an Australian former professional
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
international and
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
State of Origin
A State of Origin competition is a type of sporting event between players representing their state or territory. State of Origin began in Australian rules football on 8 October 1977 between Western Australia (WA) and Victoria, at Subiaco Ov ...
representative , he played in the
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League (NRL) is an Australasian rugby league club competition which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The NRL formed in 1998 as a joint partnership ...
for Australian club, the
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
, with whom he set the club's record for most matches, and in the
Super League
The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...
for English club, the
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
. Bowen was the NRL's top try-scorer in the
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
and
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
seasons.
Former
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
and
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal A ...
captain
Darren Lockyer
Darren James Lockyer (born 24 March 1977) is an Australian television commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. Lockyer was an Australian international and Queensland State representative captain, who played his entire profes ...
has called Bowen a "little freak", citing his skills and dynamism. Two-time premiership winning coach
Phil Gould remarked in 2005 that he was a "modern-day icon of the game", saying that "Bowen has unique football instincts. He performs the difficult with ease and some of his feats have redefined what we once believed to be impossible."
Background
Born in
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...
, Bowen grew up in the
Cape York Aboriginal community of
Hopevale
Hope Vale (also known as Hopevale) is a town within the Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale and a coastal locality split between the Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale and the Shire of Cook, both in Queensland, Australia. It is an Aboriginal community. I ...
. He attended
St. Teresa's College, Abergowrie near
Ingham where he started playing rugby league at the age of 12. His school team won the
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
schoolboys' competition in 1999 and he was named player of the tournament.
His schoolboy exploits attracted the attention of a number of NRL clubs in Sydney and Brisbane (including the
Broncos
A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock.
The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for rod ...
,
Dragons
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
and
Sharks
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorp ...
); however, he chose to pursue his professional career with his local team, the
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
.
In 2000, he was part of the Cowboys' reserve grade team that made the grand final of the reserve grade competition and was selected for the
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
under-19 team.
Playing career
2001
Bowen made his NRL debut in Round 1 of the
2001 NRL season
The 2001 NRL season was the 94th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fourth run by the National Rugby League. Also called the 2001 Telstra Premiership (due to sponsorship from Telstra Corporation) it was contested b ...
against
Queensland rivals, the
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
, coming off the bench in his side's 17–18 loss at
Dairy Farmers Stadium
The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as 1300SMILES Stadium through sponsorship, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has been a predominantly rugby league ground as the home ground of the North Q ...
. He scored his first NRL try in Round 9 against the
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby ...
, coming off the bench again in a 26–34 loss.
In his rookie season, Bowen played 15 games, scoring six tries and kicking one goal. After spending time on the bench and at five-eighth, Bowen played his primary position of fullback for the final seven games of the season. At the end of the season Bowen was selected at halfback for the
Junior Kangaroos
The Junior Kangaroos side represents Australia in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kangaroos, after the native marsupial of that name.
Since 2019, they are an under-23 side, with players selected from the NRL. The ...
, alongside future Cowboys teammates
Dallas Johnson,
Micheal Luck
Micheal Luck (born 21 April 1981) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for the North Queensland Cowboys and the New Zealand Warriors. Micheal Luck's position of choice was or .
Playing career Queensland
Whi ...
and
Brent Tate
Brent Tate (born 3 March 1982) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a or er in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australia national rugby league team, Australia international and Queensland rugby league team, Queens ...
.
2002
Despite finishing 2001 as the club's starting fullback, Bowen vacated the role at the start of the
2002 NRL season for the returning
Tim Brasher
Timothy Brasher is an Australian former rugby league footballer who primarily played as a in the 1990s and 2000s. He began his career with the Balmain Tigers, where he played the majority of his career. He then moved to the South Sydney Rabbit ...
, who was the Cowboys' captain at the time. Bowen played on the wing in Round 1, in a game where Brasher would once again succumb to injury, vacating the fullback spot. In Round 2, Bowen played five-eighth in the Cowboys' loss to the Broncos before taking over the fullback position permanently a week later. Bowen enjoyed a breakout season in 2002, scoring 12 tries in 24 games, including a run of five games in which he scored a try.
2003
In 2003, Bowen made his representative debut, being called up to the
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
team for Game II of the
State of Origin series
The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three rugby league series between two Australian state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.
Referred to as “Australian sport's greatest rivalry”, the ...
. He played 16 minutes as a substitute, as Queensland lost the series. He was selected again for Game III of the series, coming off the bench in Queensland's 36–6 win.
Bowen played 20 NRL games in 2003, scoring nine tries, including his first NRL
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
in the Cowboys' 60–8 win over the
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen pla ...
in Round 24.
2004
The Cowboys made the finals series for the first time in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, with Bowen playing a key role in the side which finished one match short of their first Grand Final. In 23 games, he scored 11 tries, including one in the Cowboys first ever finals game, a 30–22 victory over the
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the NRL Telstra Premiership, as well as competitions facilita ...
. Bowen once again represented Queensland in 2004, playing in all three
games
A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (such ...
and scoring his first Origin try in the Maroons' Game III loss.
At the end of the season Bowen was selected in the
Australian Kangaroos
The Australian National Rugby League Team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian ...
squad for the
Tri-Nations series
The Rugby Championship is an international rugby union competition contested annually by Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. These are the four highest ranked national teams in the Southern Hemisphere; the Six Nations is a ...
. He played at fullback in a tour match against
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...
, scoring a try, although he did not play in the Tri-Nations series, with
Anthony Minichiello
Anthony Minichiello (born 24 May 1980) is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League, and retired having set records for most games and most tries in the club's history. An Austr ...
preferred as the Kangaroos' fullback. However, after the Tri-Nations series, he made his Test debut in a one-off match against
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in
Carcassonne
Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department.
Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the ...
, that Australia won 52–30. On the touring squad's return journey to Australia, he scored three tries in a non-Test exhibition match against the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
2005
In 2005, halfback
Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Dean Thurston (born 25 April 1983) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the National Rugby League (NRL). Thurston was an Australian international, Queensland State of Origin and Indigenous All ...
joined the Cowboys, in what would prove to have a major effect on not just the club but on Bowen's career. Over the next nine seasons, Bowen and Thurston would form one of the competition's most dangerous combinations. On the back of Thurston and Bowen, the Cowboys made it to the
2005 NRL Grand Final, the club's first. Despite Bowen scoring the opening try, they lost to the
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional Rugby league, rugby league football team, based in the Inner West and South West Sydney. They have competed in the National Rugby League since being formed at the end of the 1999 NRL season as a j ...
, 30–16. Bowen's 21 tries in 2005 made him the competition's top try scorer.
Bowen was again selected for Queensland in the
2005 State of Origin series. In Game I of the series, he proved to be the game-breaker. After coming off the bench in the second half, he intercepted a pass from New South Wales half-back
Brett Kimmorley
Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley (born 15 September 1976) is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s and is the current interim coach of the Wests Tigers. A New South Wales inter ...
and ran 40m to score in
golden point
The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is used to resolve drawn football matches. The term is borrowed from soccer's now-defunct golden goal.
Rugby league Australia
The golden point is used to determine a winner (where applicable, see ...
extra time, thus winning the game for Queensland. Bowen would also score tries in the second and third games of the series, although Queensland lost both matches to lose the series. He was selected in Queensland's starting line-up in the third match for the first time in his career, displacing
Billy Slater
William Slater (born 18 June 1983), is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and one-time captain of the Queensland State of Origin team, he played his entire ...
.
2006
In
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, Bowen and the Cowboys failed to capitalise on their progress from the previous season, finishing ninth on the ladder and missing the finals series. Bowen played Game I of the
2006 State of Origin series but was dropped from Queensland's side for Game II. He scored just five tries in 24 matches for the Cowboys, one of the lowest season tallies of his career.
2007
In 2007, Bowen enjoyed his most successful individual season. He regained his top try scorer's title, with 22 tries, and also made the most line breaks (32) and tackle breaks (220) in the NRL. He returned to the Queensland squad for Game III of the
State of Origin series
The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three rugby league series between two Australian state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.
Referred to as “Australian sport's greatest rivalry”, the ...
, and the Cowboys returned to the NRL finals, finishing third on the ladder. He was voted by his peers as the Rugby League Player Association's Player of the Year, was named the Cowboys' Player of the Year for the first and only time in his career, was named
Rugby League Week
''Rugby League Week'' (frequently abbreviated to RLW) was the highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, ahead of major competitor ''Big League''. It was published weekly (on Wednesdays) during the Australian rugby league season, which ru ...
Player of the Year and was named Fullback of the Year at the
2007 Dally M Awards
The 2007 Dally M Awards were presented on Tuesday 4 September 2007 at the Sydney Town Hall in Sydney and broadcast on Fox Sports. Warren Smith presided as Master of Ceremonies a role which he had held in previous years.
Dally M Player of the Y ...
. He also signed a new contract to remain at the Cowboys through the 2011 season, with his coach
Graham Murray
Graham Ernest Murray (6 January 1955 – 28 July 2013) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
A New South Wales State of Origin head coach, Murray c ...
claiming he was the "best fullback in the game".
Despite the accolades for his performances during the year, Bowen was controversially omitted from the Kangaroos side to face New Zealand at the end of the season, as
Brett Stewart and
Kurt Gidley
Kurt Geoffrey Gidley (born 7 June 1982) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. An Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative an ...
were preferred at fullback. Kangaroos' coach
Ricky Stuart
Ricky John Stuart (born 7 January 1967) is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who is the head coach of the Canberra Raiders in the NRL and a former rugby league footballer who played as a in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
He ...
argued that Bowen's small stature was a factor against his selection. Former dual-code international
Wendell Sailor
Wendell Jermaine Sailor (born 16 July 1974) is an Australian former professional rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international.
In rugby league Sailor was a member of the succes ...
argued that selectors were correct to leave Bowen out of the national team, suggesting that his form in club football had not been replicated at State of Origin level.
2008
Bowen started the
2008 NRL season
The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, National Rugby League teams, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstr ...
slowly, missing Rounds 4 and 5 due to a left knee injury. He returned in Round 6 against the
Warriors
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have be ...
and scored three tries. However, three weeks later, Bowen injured his knee again and underwent surgery that ruled him out of action for the rest of the season. Without him, North Queensland finished 15th on the NRL ladder.
2009
Bowen returned from his knee injury in the 2009 pre-season. He scored 12 tries in 20 games before he injured his right knee in August in the same way that he had injured his left knee the previous season. Another round of surgery followed, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and the beginning of the next.
2010
The Cowboys endured a disastrous
2010 NRL season
The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 3 Octobe ...
, finishing 15th on the ladder. Bowen missed half the season due to the knee reconstruction he had in 2009, making his NRL return in the Cowboys' Round 9 win over the
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional Rugby league, Rugby League Football Club based in the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) and parts of inner Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The Roosters have won ...
. Four months later, Bowen played his 200th match for the Cowboys, in their Round 26 loss to the
Roosters
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
. Bowen ended the 2010 season with a career low of two tries. Despite the poor season, Bowen was selected in the
Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII, or sometimes informally referred to as the PM's XIII, is the name of a representative rugby league team, comprising Australian players from National Rugby League clubs that did not qualify for the NRL Finals, or whose tea ...
side that faced
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
in
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New Z ...
.
2011
The
2011 NRL season
The 2011 NRL season was the 104th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth and last run by the National Rugby League's partnership committee of the Australian Rugby League and News Ltd. The NRL ...
saw Bowen return to his best form, scoring 8 tries in 25 games. He reached another milestone early in the season, surpassing former teammate
Paul Bowman's record for the most NRL games by a Cowboys player. The Cowboys had an improved season, finishing seventh on the ladder and returning to the finals series. At the end of the season, Bowen was once again selected for the Prime Minister's XIII side. During the season, Bowen signed a new contract with the Cowboys through 2013, citing his "love" for the club and a desire to continue to be close to his extended family. He had considered competing offers to play in England. After the season, he was shortlisted for the
Rugby League International Federation
The International Rugby League (IRL) is the global governing body for the sport of rugby league football. Previously known as the ''Rugby League Imperial Board'', the '' International Rugby League Board'' and latterly the ''Rugby League Internat ...
's Fullback of the Year award.
2012
During the
2012 NRL season
The 2012 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the first run by the newly formed Australian Rugby League Commission. The main competition, called the 2012 NRL Telstra Premiership due to spon ...
Bowen surpassed the 250 game mark in the Cowboys first home elimination final since 2007, in which they defeated the Broncos 33–16. He recorded 28 try assists in 2012, more than the team's halfback Johnathan Thurston (25), and was 18th man for Queensland in Game III of the
2012 State of Origin series
The 2012 State of Origin series was the 31st time the annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams was played entirely under 'state of origin' rules. For the fourth successive year a Queensland victor ...
. At the end of the season, Bowen came second in the Dally M Medal tally with 26 points and was a finalist for Dally M Fullback of the Year. He finished 2012 with 13 tries, his most in a season since 2007.
2013
The
2013 NRL season
The 2013 NRL season was the 106th season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia. The National Rugby League's main competition, named the 2013 Telstra Premiership after major sponsors Telstra Corporation, was contested by sixte ...
would be Bowen's last with the Cowboys. On 30 August Bowen announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. In his final NRL season, Bowen played 19 games and scored six tries. In Round 26, Bowen played his final home game at
1300SMILES Stadium
The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as 1300SMILES Stadium through Naming rights, sponsorship, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has been a predominantly rugby league ground as the home ground o ...
. He was chaired from the field by his teammates after his team's 50–22 victory over the
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional Rugby league, rugby league football team, based in the Inner West and South West Sydney. They have competed in the National Rugby League since being formed at the end of the 1999 NRL season as a j ...
, in which Bowen scored two tries. He played his final NRL game a week later in the Cowboys' elimination final loss to the
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales. They compete in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australasia's premier rugby league ...
at
Allianz Stadium.
On 24 September, the
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
announced the signing of Bowen for the 2014 season as a replacement for departing fullback
Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins (born 23 March 1989) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and occasional for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He is the two time and current and r ...
.
2014
Bowen's first match for
Wigan
Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas, Lancashire, River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the nor ...
was at home against
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
in Round 1 of the
2014 Super League season, which Wigan lost 8-24. Two weeks later, Bowen returned to Australia and played in Wigan's 14-36
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league competition between the winners of the Australasian National Rugby League (NRL) and the European Super League, for the de facto club world championship of the sport. The first such match was pl ...
loss to the
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional Rugby league, Rugby League Football Club based in the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) and parts of inner Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The Roosters have won ...
. Despite a questionable start to his Wigan career, Bowen ended his first season in England with 15 tries from 24 games, including a hat-trick against the
Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet R.L.F.C. is a professional rugby league club in Hunslet, South Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, who play in Betfred League 1. The club was founded in 1973 as New Hunslet, they became Hunslet in 1979 and the club were the Hunslet Hawks ...
in the
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...
.
On 16 July, Bowen re-signed with Wigan until the end of 2015. Wigan reached the
2014 Super League Grand Final
The 2014 Super League Grand Final was the 17th official Grand Final and conclusive and deciding match of Super League XIX. It was held on Saturday 11 October 2014, at Old Trafford, Manchester with a 6pm kick-off time. The game was played between ...
and Bowen played at fullback in their loss to
St Helens at
Old Trafford
Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
.
2015
Bowen began the
2015 Super League season as Wigan's first choice fullback. Two weeks later, Bowen faced his former club's old rivals the
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
for the final time, in Wigan's 12-14
World Club Series
The World Club Series was an annual rugby league football competition played between clubs from the NRL (Australia and New Zealand) and the Super League (England and France). The competition culminated with the World Club Challenge, a single ma ...
loss.
On 7 July, Wigan announced that Bowen would not be offered and new contract. Bowen took over Wigan's goalkicking duties towards the end of the season, kicking 31 goals and scoring 9 tries in his final season.
Bowen's final match was the
2015 Super League Grand Final, in which he scored a try and kicked four goals in Wigan's 20–22 loss to the
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club was formed in 1870 as Leeds St John's and play in the Super League, the top tier of English rugby league. They have played home matches at Headi ...
at
Old Trafford
Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
, meaning that he ended his career with a third Grand Final defeat.
2016
Bowen participated in the 2016
NRL Auckland Nines
The NRL Nines is a rugby league nines competition, normally held during the NRL preseason each year. It was initially held in Auckland, New Zealand, between 2014 and 2017 before going on hiatus. Returning in 2020, hosting duties moved to Pert ...
Tournament, returning for the North Queensland Cowboys as a final farewell to the club and his playing career.
Bowen would later go on to sign with the
Townsville Blackhawks
The Townsville & Districts Blackhawks are an Australian semi-professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Queensland's top rugby league competition, the Queensland Cup. The club was admitted to the Que ...
in Round 11 of the
Intrust Super Cup
The Queensland Cup, currently known as the Hostplus Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level regional rugby league football competition in Queensland, Australia. It is run by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and is contested by four ...
, debuting for the club in Round 12. He would receive man of the match honours in the Blackhawks 32–12 victory over the
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, or North Brisbane Devils, or often simply referred to as Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They pl ...
in Round 13, scoring a try and setting up another two.
Achievements and accolades
Individual
Dally M
The Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. As well as honouring the player of the year, who received the Dally M Medal, awards are also given to the premier player in each position, the b ...
Fullback of the Year: 2007
Rugby League Week
''Rugby League Week'' (frequently abbreviated to RLW) was the highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, ahead of major competitor ''Big League''. It was published weekly (on Wednesdays) during the Australian rugby league season, which ru ...
Player of the Year: 2007
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
Player of the Year: 2007
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
Players' player of the Year: 2007
RLPA Player of the Year 2007
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
Life Member
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
10th Anniversary team
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
20th Anniversary team
Team
2005 NRL Grand Final:
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
– Runners-up
2014 Super League Grand Final
The 2014 Super League Grand Final was the 17th official Grand Final and conclusive and deciding match of Super League XIX. It was held on Saturday 11 October 2014, at Old Trafford, Manchester with a 6pm kick-off time. The game was played between ...
:
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
- Runners-up
2015 Super League Grand Final:
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
- Runners-up
Statistics
NRL
: ''Statistics are correct to the end of the 2013 season''
Super League
: ''Statistics are correct to the end of the 2015 season''
State of Origin
Australia
Post-playing
Following his retirement, Bowen returned to Australia to take up a role as a Community Engagement Officer for his former club, the
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest town in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
. On 21 January, Bowen was selected as one of the
NRL
The National Rugby League (NRL) is an Australasian rugby league club competition which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The NRL formed in 1998 as a joint partnership ...
's Community Ambassadors for 2016. On 29 January, the Cowboys announced that Bowen would coming out of retirement to make a one-off return for the club at the
2016 NRL Auckland Nines
The 2016 NRL Auckland Nines (known as the Downer NRL Auckland Nines due to sponsorship) was the third NRL Auckland Nines competition. It was held on 6–7 February 2016 at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. As with previous tournaments, it was ...
.
Personal life
Bowen was born in Cairns to Richard and Lillian Bowen and has four brothers (Wendell, Esmond, Dwayne and Stanton) and a sister (Dellece). Bowen's cousin,
Brenton Bowen
Brenton Bowen (born 21 May 1983 in Cairns, Queensland) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s. He played for the North Queensland Cowboys from 2003 to 2007 and the Gold Coast Titans in 2008. He is ...
, played with him at the Cowboys from 2003 to 2007, before he joined the
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans are a professional rugby league football club, based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australia and New Zealand's national rugby league club competition. The ...
in 2008. Bowen's nephew,
Javid Bowen, is currently a member of the Cowboys' NRL squad. Another of Bowen's nephews,
Rex Liddy
Rex Liddy is a former professional Australian rules football player at the Gold Coast Football Club.
Early life
Liddy was raised in Hopevale and Cairns, Queensland, the nephew of Matt Bowen, he was raised Indigenous and speaking Guugu Yimit ...
, played for
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
club, the
Gold Coast Suns
The Gold Coast Suns is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club is based on Queensland's Gold Coast in the suburb of Carrara.
The club has been playing in the AFL since th ...
in 2011.
Bowen is married to Rudie Doyle, sister of former teammate
John Doyle. The couple have two daughters, Diaz and Tatum, who was born the night before Bowen played in the
2015 Super League Grand Final, and one son, Matthew Jr.
References
External links
NRL Community profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, Matt
1982 births
Living people
Australia national rugby league team players
Australian rugby league players
Indigenous All Stars players
Indigenous Australian rugby league players
Junior Kangaroos players
North Queensland Cowboys players
People from Far North Queensland
Prime Minister's XIII players
Queensland Rugby League State of Origin players
Rugby league fullbacks
Rugby league players from Cairns