Brenton Bowen: Finding New Ways to Stay Connected to the Game

For former NRL player Brenton Bowen, rugby league has always been about more than what happens on the field.

It is a story of growing up in Hope Vale, playing backyard footy with family, finding a pathway into the NRL and eventually discovering new ways to remain connected to the game.

Today, Brenton is combining his love of rugby league, culture and creativity through his work as an artist, photographer and videographer with the Queensland Murri Carnival.

In a special IN SPORT Podcast conversation, Brenton sits down with Ian Lacey to reflect on his journey through rugby league, the importance of First Nations representation, his artwork and what the Queensland Murri Carnival means to him and his family.

From Backyard Footy to the NRL

Growing up in Hope Vale, Brenton didn't have a local club competition to play in.

Instead, some of his earliest rugby league memories came from backyard games with cousins and friends.

Among them was Maddie, who was a year older and someone Brenton looked up to.

The pair developed a friendly rivalry, often making sure they were on opposite sides when they played.

That competitiveness became part of their journey as they both progressed through rugby league.

At school, Brenton eventually made the Queensland Under 15s side before being picked up by the North Queensland Cowboys on scholarship.

In 2003, the dream of playing first grade became a reality.

Brenton received the call from Cowboys coach Graham Murray and made his NRL debut in Round 3 against Manly.

For a young player from Hope Vale, it was a significant moment in a journey that had started with nothing more complicated than backyard footy.

Finding Connection Through Rugby League

Brenton would later make the move south to the Gold Coast Titans, where he had the opportunity to train alongside some of the biggest names in the game.

Scott Prince, Preston Campbell, Luke Bailey and Matt Rogers were among the players he was able to learn from.

While his time on the field was limited, the experience of leaving Townsville and stepping outside his comfort zone gave Brenton another perspective on the game.

It also reinforced the importance of connection.

For First Nations players arriving at a new club, having other Indigenous players around can provide an immediate sense of familiarity.

A connection to someone who understands your background, your community and your experiences can create a sense of comfort in an unfamiliar environment.

For Brenton, rugby league has always provided that opportunity to connect people.

Rediscovering a Passion for Art

Long before Brenton was creating artwork for the Queensland Murri Carnival, he was watching the Elders in his Hope Vale community paint and carve.

Growing up in a tight-knit community, creativity was something he was surrounded by.

As a young boy, Brenton would draw animals and experiment with art, but as he progressed through school and into rugby league, sport became his focus.

It wasn't until the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 that he picked up the paintbrush again.

With more time at home and fewer places to go, Brenton returned to something he had always enjoyed.

What started with a canvas and some paint soon became a renewed passion.

Four or five years later, his artwork has become a significant part of the Queensland Murri Carnival.

Telling Stories Through Art

For Brenton, his artwork is about more than creating a design.

It is about passing knowledge forward.

Many of his pieces begin in the middle, representing a meeting place.

From there, lines move outward, representing knowledge being gained and then passed from one generation to the next.

Footprints are another important part of his work.

They represent the journey of life — where you have come from, where you are now and where you are going.

That connection between generations is also at the heart of the Queensland Murri Carnival.

Brenton has now been creating artwork for the carnival for around four or five years, with his designs appearing across merchandise worn by players, families and supporters.

Seeing people from communities across Queensland wearing his artwork is something he describes as a surreal and proud moment.

The artwork travels well beyond the carnival grounds, with people wearing QMC designs in communities from Cairns to Rockhampton.

For Brenton, it is another way of connecting culture, community and rugby league.

Staying Connected Beyond the Field

When his playing days finished, Brenton still wanted to find a way to be involved in rugby league.

Coaching wasn't necessarily where he saw himself.

Instead, he picked up a camera.

Photography gave him another way to stay close to the game while creating something of his own.

Much like his artwork, it was a skill Brenton developed himself.

YouTube tutorials, sports photography and plenty of practice helped him learn about cameras, editing and video production.

His children's involvement in sport also gave him the perfect place to practise.

From photographing soccer and AFL games to creating content for the Queensland Murri Carnival, the camera has become another part of his rugby league journey.

Today, his work extends beyond photography.

He shoots video, captures drone footage, edits content and produces highlight reels that help tell the story of the carnival.

A Carnival for the Whole Family

For Brenton, one of the most special things about the Queensland Murri Carnival is that it brings generations together.

From the youngest junior players through to the men's and women's competitions, there is an opportunity for the whole family to be involved.

Children can play in the junior competitions while parents, uncles and other family members take the field in the senior grades.

For someone from a close-knit community, that intergenerational connection is particularly meaningful.

The carnival becomes more than a rugby league tournament.

It becomes a family gathering.

A place to catch up with people you haven't seen for years.

A place where communities come together.

And a place where younger generations can experience the same connection to football and culture that has shaped those who came before them.

Looking Forward to Carnival Footy

As another Queensland Murri Carnival approaches, Brenton is looking forward to seeing the football itself.

But it is the creativity of carnival rugby league that particularly excites him.

There is a freedom to the way players approach the game — the willingness to take chances, throw the ball around and try things that might not always be seen in the traditional club environment.

For someone who has spent so much of his life around rugby league, it is another reason to keep coming back.

And this year, Brenton won't just be watching.

He'll be there with his camera, capturing the moments.

His artwork will be on the merchandise.

And his photography and video will help tell the story of another Queensland Murri Carnival.

More Than a Rugby League Journey

Brenton Bowen's story is a reminder that your connection to rugby league doesn't necessarily end when you leave the field.

Sometimes, it simply takes a different form.

For Brenton, that has meant becoming an artist, photographer and storyteller while continuing to contribute to a game that has been part of his life since childhood.

His journey connects backyard football in Hope Vale with the NRL, the Gold Coast, the Queensland Murri Carnival and the next generation coming through.

Because rugby league is not only about the players who take the field.

It is also about the people who capture the moments.

The artists who tell the stories.

The families who come together.

And the communities that continue to create opportunities for the generations that follow.

Watch Brenton Bowen's full conversation with Ian Lacey as part of the Queensland Murri Carnival Podcast on the IN SPORT App.