Steve Bowden

Steve Bowden (born 27 May 1955) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played for the Newtown Jets in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition. Bowden primarily played in the front row.

Steve Bowden

Personal information
Full name	Steve James Bowden
Born	(1955-05-27) 27 May 1955 (age 69) Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1978–82 Newtown Jets 76 15 0 0 45 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1981 New South Wales 1 0 0 0 0
Source: Rugby League Project and Yesterday's Hero

Career

Bowden was selected in 1981 to represent New South Wales as a front-rower for the only State of Origin-designated game of the year.^[1] In that match, Bowden was sin-binned along with Queenslander Rod Morris after an all-in brawl.

Another fight cost Bowden a spot in the 1981 Grand Final. In the first few minutes of the major semi-final against Manly-Warringah, Bowden was involved in a fight with Manly's Kiwi prop Mark Broadhurst. A scrum devolved into an all-in brawl with Bowden and Broadhurst throwing punches like prize fighters. A head-butt from Bowden felled Broadhurst and Bowden continued to punch his face while he was on the ground. After the fight was broken up, Bowden again landed a head-butt on an already bloodied Broadhurst (who also had a broken cheekbone) and the fight started a second time. When order was finally restored the referee sent Bowden from the field and actually gave Newtown a penalty. Bowden was subsequently suspended and unable to take part in the Preliminary final against Eastern Suburbs, or the club's final ever first grade Grand Final appearance against Parramatta.^[2] Leading television commentator and former dual international Rex Mossop called it "The most frantic opening to a rugby league match I've seen in 35 years".

Bowden currently works security for world champion boxer Danny Green. Bowden now owns and operates the Hurstville Ritz Hotel in Sydney.^[3]

References

1. "State Of Origin – Game 1, 1981". Rugby League Tables. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
2. "Grand Final top five: Suspensions". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 September 2004. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
3. "Newtown draw inspiration from past greats for Sunday's Grand Final". The World of Rugby League. 28 September 2006. Archived from the original on 22 October 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2007.