Matt Bowen a standout in North Queensland Cowboys 40-18 thumping of Canberra Raiders

DIMINUTIVE dynamo Matt Bowen has demanded a State of Origin recall after his second stand-out performance in as many weeks.

Matt Bowen

DIMINUTIVE dynamo Matt Bowen has demanded a State of Origin recall after his second stand-out performance in as many weeks.

After just 19 minutes in the North Queensland Cowboys' 40-18 thumping of the Canberra Raiders at Dairy Farmers Stadium tonight, Bowen had thrown the last pass for his team's first three tries.

He ended the game with yet another try assist, a line break, several tackle busts and solid bomb-defusal at fullback.

With Billy Slater (knee) little chance of being fit for Origin III, Maroons selectors are weighing up the virtues of shifting Inglis to fullback, plumping for young dynamo Ben Barba or trusting the experience of Bowen.

If Bowen is picked for the decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 4, it will be his first Queensland game since coming off the bench in 2007's dead rubber Game 3 which Queensland lost 18-4.

Meninga publicly declared in his The Sunday Mail column last week he wanted to leave Inglis at left centre for the stability of the team, noting shifting the giant to fullback would only create another problem.

Bowen made his choice much easier tonight.

Inglis was again excellent for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in their loss to the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night, but Bowen's effort matched him.

His combination with teammate Johnathan Thurston was again on show against a bumbling Raiders team.

Not only did the Raiders lose the match, superstar five-eighth Josh Dugan suffered a serious ankle injury in the 76th minute and was stretchered from the field.

The Cowboys were playing just 36 hours after learning Dianne Scott, mother of their captain Matt, had lost her battle with cancer.

The ground stood as one just before kick-off to pay tribute to Dianne with the players also wearing black arm bands.

Regular back rower Ricky Thorby replaced Scott at prop, giving away 13kg to his opposing Raiders props.

The win means the Cowboys could be in fourth place after this round ends as they move to 20 competition points.

The emotion of the night clearly affected the Cowboys players early with Thurston dropping the ball over the dead-ball line from the first kick off of the match.

The Raiders then scored in the fourth minute through Jarrod Croker, who stood up Maroons winger Brent Tate.

But it was all Cowboys from that point.

There were no injury concerns for any of Maroons players.

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