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Matt Bowen
Mattbowen2007.jpg
Personal information
Full name Matthew Jeremy Bowen
Born (1982-03-09) 9 March 1982 (age 43)
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Height 172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 85 kg (13 st 5 lb)
Position Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2001–13 North Qld Cowboys 270 130 36 5 597
2014–15 Wigan Warriors 45 24 31 0 158
Total 315 154 67 5 755
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003–07 Queensland 10 4 0 0 16
2004 Australia 1 0 0 0 0
2011–12 Indigenous All Stars 2 1 0 0 4
2010–11 Prime Minister's XIII 2 0 0 0 0
Relatives Brenton Bowen (cousin)
Javid Bowen (nephew)

Matthew Jeremy Bowen (born 9 March 1982) is an Australian former professional rugby league player. He was known for his amazing skills and speed. People often called him "Mango" or a "little freak" because of his incredible talent. He played for the North Queensland Cowboys in Australia and the Wigan Warriors in England. Matt also represented Queensland in the State of Origin and played one game for the Australian Kangaroos. He was the top try-scorer in the National Rugby League (NRL) in 2005 and 2007.

Early Life and Rugby Journey

Matt Bowen was born in Cairns, Queensland. He grew up in a place called Hopevale in Cape York. He started playing rugby league when he was 12 years old at St. Teresa's College, Abergowrie. In 1999, his school team won the Queensland schoolboys' competition. Matt was even named the best player of the tournament!

Many big clubs wanted him to play for them. But Matt chose to stay close to home. He joined his local team, the North Queensland Cowboys. In 2000, he played for the Cowboys' reserve grade team. He also got to play for the Queensland under-19 team.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out with the Cowboys (2001-2003)

Matt Bowen made his first NRL appearance in 2001. He played for the North Queensland Cowboys against the Brisbane Broncos. He scored his first NRL try in Round 9 that same year. In his first season, he played 15 games and scored six tries. He mostly played as a fullback, which became his main position.

In 2002, Matt became the Cowboys' permanent fullback. He had a great season, scoring 12 tries in 24 games. In 2003, he made his debut for Queensland in the State of Origin series. He played two games as a substitute. He also scored his first NRL hat-trick (three tries in one game) against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Becoming a Star (2004-2007)

The Cowboys reached the finals for the first time in 2004. Matt played a big part, scoring 11 tries. He also played all three Origin games for Queensland and scored his first Origin try. At the end of 2004, he was chosen for the Australian Kangaroos squad. He made his official Test debut against France.

In 2005, Johnathan Thurston joined the Cowboys. Matt and Johnathan became a very strong team. They helped the Cowboys reach their first ever 2005 NRL Grand Final. Matt scored the first try in the Grand Final, but they sadly lost. That year, Matt scored 21 tries, making him the top try-scorer in the NRL! He also scored a famous try for Queensland in State of Origin, winning the game in extra time.

In 2007, Matt had his best individual season. He was again the NRL's top try-scorer with 22 tries. He also made the most line breaks and tackle breaks in the league. He won many awards, including the Rugby League Player Association's Player of the Year. His coach even called him the "best fullback in the game."

Overcoming Challenges (2008-2013)

Matt faced tough times with injuries in 2008 and 2009. He injured his knee twice, which kept him out of many games. The Cowboys struggled without him. In 2010, he returned to play his 200th game for the Cowboys.

In 2011, Matt got back to his best form. He broke the record for most NRL games played by a Cowboys player. The Cowboys also returned to the finals. Matt continued to play well in 2012, helping his team reach the finals again. He finished second in the Dally M Medal count, which is a big award for the best player in the NRL.

The 2013 season was Matt's last with the Cowboys. He played his final home game in Round 26, scoring two tries. His teammates carried him off the field, showing how much they respected him. He played his very last NRL game in the finals a week later.

Playing Overseas (2014-2015)

After leaving the Cowboys, Matt signed with the Wigan Warriors in England for the 2014 season. He quickly became a key player for Wigan, scoring 15 tries in his first year. He helped Wigan reach the 2014 Super League Grand Final, but they lost.

In 2015, Matt continued to play for Wigan. He took over the team's goal-kicking duties. His final match was the 2015 Super League Grand Final. He scored a try and kicked four goals, but Wigan lost a very close game. This meant he ended his career with a third Grand Final loss.

Life After Rugby

After retiring from professional rugby, Matt Bowen returned to Australia. He now works as a Community Engagement Officer for his old club, the North Queensland Cowboys. He helps connect the club with the community. In 2016, he even made a special one-off return to play for the Cowboys in the NRL Auckland Nines tournament. He also played a few games for the Townsville Blackhawks.

Family and Life Off the Field

Matt Bowen was born to Richard and Lillian Bowen. He has four brothers and one sister. His cousin, Brenton Bowen, also played for the Cowboys. His nephew, Javid Bowen, is currently part of the Cowboys' NRL team.

Matt is married to Rudie Doyle. They have two daughters, Diaz and Tatum, and one son, Matthew Jr. Tatum was born the night before Matt played in the 2015 Super League Grand Final!

Awards and Achievements

Matt Bowen won many awards during his career, including:

He also played in three Grand Finals, though his teams were runners-up each time:

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