This one of the things that irritates me about IL. He thinks he can take us for mugs. Maybe he is influenced by the happy clappers, maybe he actually believes that his spin is working.

He would do far better to come out and say

"Look, we had to react to Sam leaving, the options were limited and Bowen was brought in as a stop gap. It is hoped that his experience will help one or two of our youngsters next year".

To say he is a "marquee signing" is ridiculous. Five years ago maybe, but now, at this stage of his career? He really must think we are mugs.

A very good player in his day, but his knees are shot hence the Cowboys offering him a coaching role only. You can dress him up as a 'marquee signing' and come across with the normal spin with such claims as 'he'll be a good mentor to the youth' but it doesn't change the fact he's another NRL player using SL as an extension to their career.

Another SL club were looking at him but chose not to further their interest, which I don't think is a big secret.

Potentially a very good player to have in our league but his fitness is very questionable.

Fair play im no Lenegan fan but Bowen is the best of a bad situation and by all acoounts he is a very good player if his knees hold up BUT labelling him a marquee signing is nothing more than IL making a play on words to try and sweeten the fans.

Interesting that there is nothing on the two players from London.

Slater Total NRL points 628, Bowen 597. Bowen was never in a side that broke the salary cap.
I say again Bowen is rubbish.............

28 try assists and Dally M full back of the year finalist last year, but he missed out to Ben Barba, positively average!

Id imagine Lenegan didn't have the face to announce them after just telling us he had sold Sam Tomkins.

They will probably be announced out of the lime light

Best available option and still one of the best fullbacks in the NRL on his day, good option to have whilst finding our next "long term" (potentially not as long term as we'd like) option

Positvely average sickens me, who is responsible for this monstrosity? Off with his head

Bowen is a belting signing. Obviously it is a shame to lose Sam but Bowen for me has been the form fullback in the NRL since he got his knees cleaned out.

He will definitely be a player who will put bums on seats, and that for me is the true sign of a marquee player.

He has great hands, a good kicking game, gets in at first receiver acting as an extra half back as well as providing the link and strike out wide.

I wonder if he will also be given the job of goal kicker.

Excellent signing and still a top class player regardless of age.

For those stating he was destined to retire, the reason for this is because he would not consider playing for another NRL club. Had he wanted to I am certain he would have got a place in the NRL next year.

Anyone who has watched any NRL this year will know this is a very, very good signing. Bowen has been brilliant this year. In my eyes a 'marquee' signing is a Barrett, Lyon. Bowen is not that, but I can bet my bottom dollar he will be the best fullback in the league next year. People need to remember he will not be palying every game due to to Hampshire and Tierney. Best we could do in a bad situation, I am delighted with this signing.

I would go as far as saying Bowen pretty much carried the cowboys into the playoffs this season, and bar Greg Inglis he has been the best fullback in the NRL. Just go on to the stampede fans page to read what the fans think of Bowen, the cowboys have made a mistake and the majority of people know it. He is the definition of marque signing, still one of the best in the NRL and will do wonders for hampshire and tierney.

i will feel a lot more comfortable next season when high balls are going up (even tho Tomkins has improved massively on it).

Sam was going to play in the Best league in world rugby, what other options were there for us at fullback....Brett Hodgson..??

Sam is a one off we get to see once in a generation and we were never going to replace like for like. Hopefully if Matt can give us 15-20 top games and help bring Tierney or Hampshire through that is the best we can hope for in the short term.

It's all well and good producing exceptional talent but the structure of the league in the UK doesn't help clubs keep that talent by being a poor comparison for the international game. Also a very poor reward in financial terms for some of the bestplayers in the game.

I have been watching You Tube clips of Bowen ever since his name surfaced and he has been an excellent player and had we signed him, as you say, five years ago he'd meet the "marquee" tag. As it is we have signed him at the end of his career so he just doesn't.

He has been signed for 12 months with a further 12 month option. I posted a while ago I felt the reason Blake Green was only on a two year deal was because the plan was to have the likes of Hampshire ready to take over full time. That was met with general agreement from those who commented and I don't see Bowen as anything other than a similar (but more risky due to his knees) kind of stop gap. Why IL thinks anyone can't see this and would consider Bowen a marquee signing I have no idea.

Will Bowen plug the gap left by Tomkins? Probably but it really isn't anything to shout about. One step forward and two back at best is my view on the whole deal (i.e. selling Sam and signing Bowen).

If we forget about the "marquee signing" nonsense and just leave a marquee as being a big tent then I think this is a good idea for twelve months so that Hampshire, Tiernay and whoever else we have on the books who fancies the No 1 shirt can interchange as a player and learn from both Bowen & Radlinski so that we will have outstanding full backs in years to come. Wouldn't have been put in this position at all had Sam not seen the greener grass. MB may have had problems with his knees but Wigan are not so daft as to sign someone who wasn't up to the job so let's give the guy a chance FGS