When the book is closed on season 2004, it will be hard for the Richmond Football Club to pinpoint too many highs.
But one name in the ‘plus’ column undoubtedly will be Joel Bowden.
It’s been a roller-coaster ride for the 26-year-old. There’s never been any question about his skills, his ability to find space and time before launching one of those trademark kicks off his left foot. Putting it all together on a consistent basis, however, has been somewhat of a stumbling block.
Bowden started 2004 as a talented midfield linkman, though oft-maligned for a perceived lack of focus and intensity. He will end the year recognised as one of the most damaging, rebounding defenders in the competition.
Early in the season, he racked up typically good possession numbers as a midfielder against the likes of Melbourne and St Kilda, but then became a key target for criticism as the Tigers were flogged by Geelong and Adelaide.
Coach Danny Frawley and the rest of the Richmond selection panel finally lost patience with Bowden and demoted him to the VFL after 136 consecutive senior league appearances. He watched from the stand at Telstra Dome as the Tigers hung on for a stirring one-point win against Hawthorn in Round 6.
The next day, Bowden swallowed his medicine out at Preston as the Coburg Tigers defeated their arch rivals, the Northern Bullants, by 22 points.
Who knows what went through Joel Bowden’s mind during that difficult time in his league career – but he certainly responded like a true professional.
His endeavor against the Swans in that gutsy Round 7 win at the SCG was fierce and he converted that determination into a stack of stats against Bulldogs six days later at the MCG in the Tigers’ most recent win.
But Bowden really put the stamp on his ‘mini-comeback’ against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium with 43 possessions (the most by any AFL player for three years), 11 marks and two goals to be rated best-on-ground – not bad in a side that lost by 78 points!
Tiger fans, used to the sight of Bowden running through the centre or down the MCG wing, started to notice that the No. 11 was rarely venturing forward of the centre, but was having a marked influence.
With Darren Gaspar still struggling for form, and Ray Hall spending most of his time at full-back, Bowden found himself occupying one of the toughest positions on the field at centre half-back.
The move caught many pundits by surprise, but the football world really started to sit up and take notice of the ‘new’ Joel in Rounds 13 and 14.
In the loss to the Blues before the mid-year break, Bowden ran off his opponent at every opportunity and gathered 32 touches. But his biggest test of 2004 came seven days later at the Gabba when he lined up on the Brisbane Lions’ dynamic centre half-forward Jonathan Brown.
The Tigers went within a whisker of causing the upset of the season, and Bowden played a crucial role in that meritorious performance. He not only curbed the effectiveness of the superstar Lion forward (kept him goalless) but instigated many attacking thrusts for the Yellow and Blacks himself, finishing the match with 24 possessions.
Over the past month, Bowden hasn’t dropped below 25 disposals in any game and continues to balance his attacking and defensive duties with diligence.
The transformation of Joel Bowden hasn’t been only on the field. Not renowned for having a high media profile, he has stepped up in this area of his responsibilities at the Club, and carried his leadership role into the public domain. Insiders say his attitude around Punt Road has been terrific, despite the Tigers’ long losing streak.
In past years, when Tiger fans gathered around at coffee-time to discuss which players should be delisted by the Club at the end of the season, Bowden’s name invariably popped up. But as Richmond prepares for an exciting era under a new coach, even his previously harshest critics would have to admit that Joel Bowden looks pretty secure as a key member of the Tiger playing list next season . . .
