Throughout his 13-year career, he was considered one of the best defensive centres in the NRL.[3] He is currently the Head of Performance at the Cowboys.[4]
In 1994, Bowman signed with the newly established North Queensland Cowboys after being spotted by head coach Grant Bell playing for Proserpine.[8] In Round 16 of the 1995 ARL season, he made his first grade debut for the Cowboys, starting at centre in their 16–30 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. He scored his first try for the club three weeks later in a 6–22 loss to the South Queensland Crushers. He finished his rookie season with one try in seven games. Bowman played just six games in 1996, starting each at centre and scoring two tries.
In 1997, he played 10 games and scored two tries and in 1998, played just the first six games before missing the rest of the season through injury. In 1999, Bowman played 16 games for the club, the majority of those at lock, and was named the club's Player of the Year.[citation needed]
In 2000, Bowman had a breakout season in which he started 20 games at centre, scoring eight tries, and was named the Cowboys' Player of the Year, an award he shared with Julian O'Neill.[9] In May, he made his State of Origin debut for Queensland, becoming the club's second Queensland representative and their first homegrown Queensland player.
In 2001, he became the captain of the Cowboys, a role he would hold until 2004. He played 25 games that season, scoring 12 tries, and once again represented Queensland. In Game 3 of the 2001 State of Origin series, he scored two tries in Queensland's series-deciding win over New South Wales. In 2002, Bowman missed the start of the season through injury, returning in Round 10 to play 14 games and score 10 tries. In Round 21, he played his 100th game for the club, becoming the second player to do so.[10]
In 2003, he played 16 games, scoring three tries. In Game 1 of the 2003 State of Origin series, one minute after coming off the bench, he suffered medial ligament and cartilage damage to his left knee in a tackle that would see him sidelined for four weeks. Remarkably, despite being unable to walk, he stayed on the field and managed to make several tackles before getting a chance to be taken off.[citation needed]
In 2004, Bowman began the season as the Cowboys' captain before being replaced by new recruit Travis Norton in Round 7. He played 21 games that season and played in the finals for the first time as the Cowboys finished 7th on the ladder, their highest ever finish at the time.[11] He started two games at centre for Queensland in the 2004 State of Origin series.
In 2005, he played 25 games, scoring nine tries, and started at centre for Queensland in all three games of the 2005 State of Origin series. On 2 October 2005, he started at centre in the Cowboys' 2005 NRL Grand Final loss to the Wests Tigers.[12] Following the season, he won the club's Players' Player award. In 2006, he played just 16 games, scoring three tries, in a season plagued by a neck injury.[13]
On 3 June 2007, Bowman announced that he would retire at the end of the 2007 NRL season.[14] On 30 August, the club announced that their Player of the Year award would be renamed the Paul Bowman Medal in his honour.[15] In Round 25, he became the first player to play 200 games for the Cowboys in their 38–32 win over the Canterbury Bulldogs.[16]
He played his final home game for the club in a 49–12 semi final win over the Warriors, kicking the first goal of his career.[17] He ended his first grade career as the last Cowboys foundation player to retire, playing 203 games for the club over 13 seasons.
In 2008, Bowman began a part-time assistant coaching role with the Cowboys under-20 side. Later that season, he became a full-time assistant coach with the club's NRL squad, signing until the end of the 2010 season.[19] In 2011, he became the club's High Performance Manager, a role he held until the end of the 2018 season.[20]
On 17 May 2015, Bowman was named at centre in the Cowboys 20-year team and, alongside Matt Sing, was an inaugural inductee into the Cowboys' Hall of Fame.[21][22]
On 9 October 2018, he was named the Cowboys' Head of Sports Science.[4] On 30 October 2020, he became the club's Head of Performance.[23]
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Matthew Jeremy Bowen is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australia international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he played in the National Rugby League (NRL) for Australian club, the North Queensland Cowboys, with whom he set the club's record for most matches, and in the Super League for English club, the Wigan Warriors. Bowen was the NRL's top try-scorer in the 2005 and 2007 seasons. Former Queensland and Australian captain Darren Lockyer 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."
Josh Hannay is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is an assistant coach of the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL and assistant coach of the Queensland rugby league team. He is also a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a centre in the 1990s and 2000s.
Aaron Payne is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Townsville Blackhawks in the Intrust Super Cup. Primarily a hooker, he played his entire career for the North Queensland Cowboys.
Matthew Scott, also known by the nickname of "Thumper", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL and Australia at international level.
Matthew Charles Sing is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and Queensland representative, Sing played his club football for the Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters and North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL) and for Hull F.C. in the Super League.
Gavin Cooper is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a second-row for the North Queensland Cowboys, Gold Coast Titans and Penrith Panthers in the NRL.
Ashley Graham is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. Primarily a wing, he played for the Parramatta Eels and North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Scott Bolton is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop or second-row forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL.
The 1995 North Queensland Cowboys season was the first in the club's history. Coached by Grant Bell and captained by Laurie Spina, they competed in the ARL Premiership.
The 2001 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 7th in the club's history. Coached by Tim Sheens and captained by Paul Bowman, they competed in the NRL's 2001 Telstra Premiership.
Justin O'Neill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Melbourne Storm and North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL and Australia at international level.
Michael Morgan is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the NRL.
Vaai Taumalolo, better known by the nickname Jason, is a professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a lock forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for Tonga and New Zealand at international level.
Jake Granville is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL). He is the only player to play fullback and front row in the NRL.
Ethan Lowe is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a goal kicking second-row for the North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL.
Valentine Holmes is an Australian professional rugby league players who plays across the backline as centre, fullback or winger for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level.
Coen Hess is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Tom Opacic is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Hull Kingston Rovers in the Betfred Super League.
Murray Taulagi is an Australia international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
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