Why doesn't Matt Bowen get selected for rep teams?

Question

Why doesn't Matt Bowen get selected for rep teams?

Answer 1

he's really good and all

but there are better fullbacks than him

Answer 2

The official Ricky Stuart line is "he's too small". Which I think is reasonable, especially considering he'd be up against the huge Kiwi side. But I have a couple of other reasons:

a) They like to stick with the incumbent unless injured or severly out of form;

b) Matty works well in broken play, on kick returns, and trailing in behind players who have made line breaks. In rep footy, especially at the high standard of Origin, and tests against NZ at the end of the year (when they have their full strength side with all the ESL players), theres isn't much of that type of play. It's pretty full on for 80 minutes. Not many penalties, not many line breaks. It's basic, but it's brutal. In that situation, you need someone who's solid, not spectacular. Someone like Hunt, Stewart, or Minichello. Someone who'll take the ball back with courage on every run. Now, I'm not doubting Mattie's heart, but I'm doubting his physical ability to get back up if he's knocked down hard.

Use him off the bench, if you want. But don't use him as the starting full back.

PS. I love Matty, I'm a Queenslander, and I love the Cowboys (almost as much as I love the Broncos ;).

Answer 3

Well because he basically is to small. Who would you rather returning a kick against the massive kiwi forwads, k hunt or matt bowan. m bowen could run around them but could get smashed and not get up. he also for some reason has trouble against the high ball at rep  level. if he is chosen he would be a shaun berrigan esque like plan where he would roam around the ruck not at fullback

Answer 4

International and Origin football are two very different things. Bowen has proved that he cannot play competently enough at International level or, to a lesser extent, Origin level...

Answer 5

thats a very good question...i just read something about this..heres the link

Answer 6

He is too casuual/ too inconsistent/ too small/ smells funny. Take your pick. He is the Stuart MacGill of rugby league. And he has the stench of a Cowboys Jersey on him. That can't help

Answer 7

too all these people saying he is too small you are stupid! h**l be kick returning against people he has played vs all year in the nrl! what does size have anything to do with it stacey jones was just as small and is one of the greatest ever rep players and i think kimorley would say bowen plays alright at rep footy level any1 else remember the intercept try?? its clear theyr not picking him bcoz he is abo which is farkkn stupid

Answer 8

might be totally wrong but I thought he did play rep football against the kiwi's and had a shocker. or was that Preston cambell. don't know, but Stuart is better, so is Slater, so is hunt.

one maverick in a team is enough, hence why cowboys can't and won't win a grand final.

it takes a champion team, not a team of champions.

Answer 9

Because he is a QUEENSLANDER and the NSW selectors would hate it if there team was nearly all Queenslanders.  They know his good real good with Thursto so it might take away from the NSW players.

Answer 10

I dunno, possibly for the same reason Billy Slater doesn't get picked. maybe they're just to good and the selectors are worried they'll make everyone else look bad lol

Answer 11

I have my own thoughts about that but most excuses I hear is that he is simply too short,same excuse that prevented Hazem Elmaseri from playing rep level for so long.

Answer 12

He can perform well at NRL level but he doesn't perform well at rep level

Answer 13

Because he looks Aboriginal !

Answer 14

tell me about it...

he is a solid fullback and has the added bonus of being able to kick during play as well.. what a rort!!

do you think he would have been picked if thurston was in the team

to answer the rep issue mention previous he did play for australian schoolboys (ironically with thurston) and made a name for himself there so that is not the truth... plus just look at what he did to the blues in the origin games he has played...

Answer 15

Ricky Stuart confessed that him and the selectors feel he is simply too small.