Retired pocket rocket Matt Bowen will have the chance to return home and be part of North Queensland’s premiership celebrations after his final match in the English Super League for Wigan.

Bowen’s Wigan lost the Grand Final to Leeds but will head back to Australia now to take up an off-field role with the Cowboys.

Former team-mate Nathan Fien has told Fox Sports that Bowen was much more than a speed merchant and always played well above his weight.

“He was only 75 kilos wringing wet but already you could see he had immense talent,” Fien said.

“One of his early games we played a trial game and (Cronulla centre) Russell Richardson had a bench press of 180 (kilograms) or something.

“Matty Bowen was standing at five-eighth off a scrum and Russell ran at him, Matty just smacked him.

“I was coming from the scrum base to help him out but as he was getting up Matty was giving him lip.

“He was saying ‘you’re not benching 170 now’ which was funny.

“But he had that confidence about him – confidence in his own ability.”