He also answered questions from the students. “Do you know Johnathan Thurston?” a student in the Year 3 and 4 session asked. 

“Who is that?" Bowen teased. “Who does he play for?” Then he added, “Jono is one of my best mates and I was just talking to him five minutes ago.” Thurston had just updated him on the rehabilitation of his shoulder injury. 

“Fingers crossed we can get him back for next year,” Bowen said. 

Bowen said he had played 270 games for the Cowboys and 50 games overseas. He had scored 130 tries for the Cowboys. 

He visited Central as part of the Cowboys NRL ‘school blitz’ on the Thursday before rodeo. Bowen said he toured Dajarra and Boulia as well. “I have not been to those places before,” he said. 

It’s the second time recently that Bowen has been seen in the area, having attended the Naidoc gala dinner.

He has close family living in Mount Isa.

Bowen also told students the first time he played an NRL game for the Cowboys. His debut was against the Broncos in 2001. He was sitting on the bench when called in, and as he went to make a tackle he realised he had kept his mouthguard in his sock. His team lost by a point. 

“(Broncos) used to beat us every time but now Cowboys are getting better, and are obviously starting to beat them now,” Bowen said. 

When asked about the amount of losses, he said, “I would like to say none, I cannot remember. But it would pretty much be half and half.” 

“It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, as long as you make friends,” he told students.