Melbourne Storm sign highly rated Queensland talent Jack Bowen-Bowyer

How do they do it — and why do we let them get away with it? Melbourne Storm have snared another rising Queenslander in Matt Bowen’s nephew. PLUS, JT the publishing sensation.

The Storm have done it again, sneaking under the guard of Queensland’s leading sporting teams to sign the nephew of Cowboys fullback legend Matt Bowen.

Blindside can reveal Melbourne have secured the signature of Jack Bowen-Bowyer, a teenage attacking sensation so talented he was also being chased by rugby’s Queensland Reds and AFL’s Brisbane Lions.

In a move that will please his famous uncle Matt, Bowen-Bowyer has chosen a pathway in rugby league, inking a two-year deal with the Storm, who staved off interest from the Gold Coast Titans to win the race for the 17-year-old.

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Jack Bowen-Bowyer looks set to follow a well trodden path. Picture: Cassie Seiler/BBC Rugby Instagram

Matt “Mango” Bowen is regarded as one of the greatest attacking players of his generation, scoring 130 tries in 270 games for the Cowboys as a long-time partner-in-crime with halfback maestro Johnathan Thurston.

Now another Bowen is about to hit the NRL scene, with Jack to join the Storm full-time squad in November. He will stay for the pre-season, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Cameron Smith and Cameron Munster, before returning to Brisbane to begin his apprenticeship with feeder-club Easts Tigers in the Intrust Super Cup.

Like his uncle, Jack hails from Hope Vale, is lightning quick with superb footwork and a lethal swerve. Bowen-Bowyer has been a revelation for the past two years at Brisbane Boys College and was recently named on the wing in BBC’s team of the decade.

If he’s anything like his uncle, Melbourne are onto a winner.

At 183cm and 78kg, Bowen-Bowyer has an impressive frame and is set to match the speed of Storm flyer Josh Addo-Carr, juggling rugby with track-and-field commitments at BBC.

The Sunshine State has long been a fertile breeding ground for Storm stars. Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk and Smith all entered the Storm system from Queensland, and now Melbourne have trumped the Titans, Broncos and Cowboys for Bowen-Bowyer’s services.

The young gun was also offered scholarships with the Reds and Lions, but couldn’t resist the development on offer at the NRL’s best team of the past decade.

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BAD KNIGHTS

THE fallout at the Newcastle Knights continues. Blindside can reveal a faction of Knights players are furious after watching leading Newcastle teammates embark on a disgraceful team bus booze-up last week following the termination of coach Nathan Brown.

The entire squad should have been licking their wounds after suffering a humiliating 46-4 loss to the Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium last Saturday night, just days after coach Brown parted ways with the club.

Instead, the Knights loaded their team bus with cartons of beer for the 200km drive back to Newcastle. It is understood a number of Newcastle players were disgusted at the sight of their teammates getting on the drink just hours after a 42-point hiding.

Coach Brown’s successor, tipped to be former Storm assistant Adam O’Brien, will no doubt bring a Melbourne-like accountability to the club next season.

Jonathan Thurston is kicking goals off the field. Photo: AAP Image/Renae Droop

JT BOOK SETS THE BAR

EVEN in retirement, Johnathan Thurston continues to break records. The Cowboys legend has celebrated another milestone by producing the best-selling sporting book in Australian literary history.

His autobiography, written with NewsCorp Australia journalist James Phelps and released last year, has become the first Australian sports book to sell in excess of 100,000 copies.

The autobiography of former Broncos and Queensland captain Darren Lockyer previously held the record with 85,000 copies but Thurston’s tome has smashed that mark and continues to sell, setting a new benchmark that may never be beaten.

It wasn’t as bad as some suggested. Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

RING WORRY OVERPRICED

THE NRL’s controversial decision to present Cameron Smith’s wife Barbara with a diamond ring for his 400th game celebrations caused a stir but the gift was not as expensive as first thought. It was suggested Mrs Smith’s ring came at a cost of $15,000, money which some would argue could go towards helping a grassroots league team. But it is understood the ring was valued at $3500. The NRL needn’t worry about buying another diamond ring for a lucky wife. It’s unlikely anyone will join Smith in the 400-club anytime soon.

Maloney‘s experience would have been invaluable for the Broncos. Photo: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

BRONCS TARGETED JIMMY

THE Broncos have been hammered for their lack of a big-name, premiership-winning playmaker but the club is keeping a close eye on the open market. The club recently made informal inquiries about the prospect of signing Penrith veteran James Maloney. But the NSW Origin pivot made it clear he wanted a longer-term deal. Brisbane believed Maloney, at 33, could help mentor 18-year-old halfback Tom Dearden for 12 months, but they were never going to compete with a rich three-year offer from French Super League club Catalans.

Jesse Arthars looks set for a big future. Photo: AAP Image/Dan Peled

TITAN ON THE UP

PROMISING Titans utility back Jesse Arthars is going places in the NRL if his attitude counts for anything. The 21-year-old joined the Titans from Souths this season and left a lasting impression on Rabbitohs enforcer Sam Burgess. Arthars would bring a notebook to training and ask questions of Souths’ leading players, jotting down any notes that could improve him as a footballer. Burgess admired Arthars’ dedication. The Auckland-born young gun will join the Broncos next season and is considered a possible fullback option if Anthony Milford returns to the halves.

Matt Lodge is looking for an extra edge. Photo: AAP Image/Dan Peled

LODGE BOXING CLEVER

MATT Lodge’s improved fitness this season is no fluke. The Broncos prop is regularly punching out 60-minute stints in the engine room and it can be traced to his secret passion — boxing training.

Lodge is putting in the extras, donning the gloves at the Corporate Box Gym at Lutwyche, the very place where Quade Cooper was put through his paces as he dabbled in boxing during his career with the Wallabies.

Blindside would love to see Lodge jump in the ring with Paul Gallen for an NRL heavyweight battle royale but the Broncos prop insists he has no grand plans.

“I just enjoy it,” he said. “Boxing helps my footwork with conditioning and a bit of cardio without running on my legs. I’m doing it to help my footy. It helps my legs move a bit quicker, I’m not as blessed as Payne (Haas, front-row teammate). Maybe ‘Payno’ can give me a yard of speed.”

Herbie Farnworth has impressed at North Devil's.

POMMY PACEMAN AT RED HILL

MUCH is made of Canberra’s Englishmen Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead and John Bateman, but NRL clubs should keep an eye on English sensation Herbie Farnworth.

The 19-year-old made his NRL debut in the Baby Broncos’ famous defeat of the Sharks in July and is close to smashing Norths Devils’ tryscoring record in the Intrust Super Cup.

The Devils’ record for most tries in a season stands at 21, set by Derek Fletcher in 2004. But Farnworth is closing in, having scored 19 tries from just 15 games this season. He has also kicked 58 goals for a season tally so far of 192 points.

A former Manchester United scholarship holder as a 10-year-old, Farnworth has scored six tries in the past fortnight, including four in a 62-14 drubbing of Northern Pride.

Brisbane’s GPS data showed Farnworth was faster than former centre James “The Jet’’ Roberts on a measurement of metres per second. The teenager is regularly seen doing extras at Red Hill on his days off. Good judges believe it is only a matter of time before the tall winger or fullback becomes a star in the NRL.

Jack Bird is finally back at training. Photo: AAP Image/Jono Searle

BIRD TO FLY SOON

GOOD news for Jack Bird. The luckless Broncos utility began running this week as he makes the long road back from a knee reconstruction. But soon the pressure will be on for Bird to deliver bang for his big bucks. The former NSW Origin star’s contract with the Broncos is worth $900,000 next season, making him the second highest-paid player at the club behind $1 million man Anthony Milford. Bird has played just 17 games in two seasons due to shoulder, sternum and knee injuries and the Broncos need him to fire next season to justify their huge investment and lead Brisbane back into premiership contention.

The Rabbitohs engulf Damien Cook at Suncorp Stadiuma. (Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

RISING

DAMIEN COOK: What a performance against the Broncos. There are few better sights in rugby league than Cook scorching out of dummy half with hapless defenders desperately trying to stop him. His trysaving tackle on Corey Oates was one of the plays of the year.

JAMES TEDESCO: Running into sublime form for the Roosters at the perfect time. His speed and ball skills in last week’s defeat of the Dragons was mesmerising and rubber-stamped him as the No.1 player in the code.

TRISTAN SAILOR: Great to see the son of Broncos legend Wendell Sailor making his NRL debut. The Dragons rookie walked away with his maiden try with his proud dad watching on.

PHILLIP SAMI: The Titans flyer may have been in a losing side but his chase and trysaving tackle on Storm speed demon Josh Addo-Carr was outstanding. Sami can be a game-breaker for the Titans next season.

Brown can leave Newcastle with his head held high. Photo: AAP Image/Darren Pateman

FALLING

NATHAN BROWN: Showed great class handling his departure from Newcastle when he heard whispers the club was sounding out potential replacements.

MITCHELL PEARCE: His comments about Brown in the wake of his termination were disgraceful. Kalyn Ponga, 21, didn’t cover himself in glory either but at age 30, Pearce should have showed more maturity.

PENRITH: Collectively poor in their loss to the Cowboys. With their season on the line, the Panthers should have easily disposed of the Cowboys, but capitulated in Townsville.

TYRONE PEACHEY: Missed seven tackles and made two errors in last week’s loss to the Storm. He owes the Titans man-of-the-match performances in the final fortnight.