It is the simple things that please Jack Bowes these days.
Bowes barely played for the Gold Coast Suns last season, and then discovered in his exit meeting that they wanted, or needed, to trade him for salary cap relief.
Jack Bowes is happy to be playing regular senior football again.Credit: Getty Images
Geelong sniffed around him for months – having noticed the now 25-year-old wasn’t getting much of a senior run – but suddenly had fellow suitors in Hawthorn and Essendon once the Suns added pick seven as a carrot to take on Bowes’ contract.
It made for heightened trade period drama as Bowes toured several clubs and then eventually made the call to join the Cats, much to the chagrin of rivals, who fumed that the reigning premiers also scored a top-10 pick.
But for Bowes, it was about being loved as a player – not just as the side piece to a lucrative draft selection, which ended up being used on local midfielder Jhye Clark.
Geelong made no promises of an instant senior spot, but convinced the Bowes camp, including his agents Robbie D’Orazio and Paul Connors, that he had a genuine future at the Cattery.
Jack Bowes and Oliver Henry sing the song for the first time as Geelong players after the Cats’ win over Hawthorn.Credit: AFL Photos
After some impressive pre-season form, a calf niggle kept Bowes out of round one, but he has now played three matches in a row and been a good contributor in each.
“Honestly, it was a bit of a whirlwind, but I’m just grateful to be playing some senior footy again, and I’m grateful to be part of this team,” Bowes said.
Bowes had some good times on the Gold Coast.Credit: AFL Photos
“[They are] a really strong-minded group and really hungry for some more success, so I’m rapt to be part of it.
“My managers were speaking with [Geelong list manager] Andrew Mackie for quite a long time before that pick was involved, so that always gave me confidence in coming here. Ever since I got here; they’ve backed me in and backed me in to play to my strengths, so I’m really enjoying it.”
The talk at the time of the trade was that Bowes would have the chance for more midfield exposure at the Cats, having been played exclusively as a defender at the end of his Gold Coast stint.
That is not quite how it has eventuated in the navy blue and white hoops, but he could not be happier – and it was a move to half-back at the start of the third term on Easter Monday, after Jed Bews was subbed out, that brought out his best form.
Bowes gathered a game-high nine disposals in the match-turning quarter as Geelong kicked 10 unanswered goals to waltz to their first victory of the season.
“Obviously, ‘Bewsy’ got concussed, unfortunately, so I was able to go down to half-back and I felt like I sort of adjusted to the pace of the game a bit more,” he said. “It took me a bit in the first half to get my footing but, yeah, it was nice. I’m not sure [what my best spot is] – honestly, I like playing in any position. Especially over the pre-season; I’ve played forward, midfield, wing, half-back … I’m up for any role. I pride myself on being a person who can play multiple roles and is a bit of a utility.”
The Suns’ defeat of Bowes’ Cats in round three would have stung, and left critics wondering whether Geelong’s premiership defence was over inside the first month.
But the feeling was very different at the club, as coach Chris Scott repeated throughout the tough start and again after thumping Hawthorn on Monday.
Bowes said the playing group was “buzzing” after their third-quarter goal explosion, but was hesitant to not go too hard in confirming his Cats were back.
“Scotty’s messaging has always been pretty clear: it’s always been, ‘Stay in the moment’,” Bowes said.
“We were in those games against Collingwood and Carlton, and they’re some bloody good teams at the moment. They’re going to be right up there at the end of the year.
“Gold Coast, at home, are hard to beat, and they’re building a strong list as well … it could have gone either way in some of those games, but we just knew if we tweaked a few things, [our best football] would come out, and things would turn.”
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