Bowen ready to take Grand Final chance with both hands

Correspondent

Wigan full-back Matty Bowen is hoping that he can make up for some previous disappointments when his team tangle with St Helens in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Bowen joined Wigan at the beginning of this season, and he is looking to help ease the memory of an NRL Grand Final defeat in 2005.

Back then, his team, North Queensland Cowboys, lost 30-16 to Wests Tigers.

“It’s always good to play in a Grand Final, they don’t come round often,” said the Australian.

“You’ve got to take it with two hands, and I can’t wait for Saturday.

“It’s my first year of Super League and to be in a Grand Final is alwasy good, and I’m sure it will be one to remember.

“When I played for the Cowboys our derby was against Brisbane Broncos.

“That was big and it’s similar here. Playing Saints in a Grand Final is going to be even bigger, though.

“I played in one Grand Final at home and got beaten, so to come over here and get a win would be good.

“But I can’t really think ahead that far. I just want to get out there and play well, and if I do come up trumps, it’ll be one to remember, beating Saints in the final.”

Bowen believes that Shaun Wane’s Warriors can take heart from the manner of their close win over Warrington in last week’s semi-final.

A similar 80-minute performance will be required if Wigan are to become champions on Saturday.

“We dropped too much ball last week and gave Warrington a chance to win,” he said.

“But we hung on and defended well. We said in the week leading up to the game that you can’t win in the first 10 minutes, it could be in the 75th or 79th minute.

“We showed that we can hang on for the full 80.”