- Jan 7, 2010
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Richmond’s premiership celebrations aren’t just about the players. The Tigers have gone above and beyond to share the joy with supporters all over Australia, including motor neurone sufferer Michael Bowden. Read the inspiring stories.
Michael Bowden’s kids tried to convince him to travel to Melbourne to witness Richmond’s premiership victory before “The Beast” fully took hold.
But 50 years after his role in Richmond’s 1969 premiership triumph, Bowden refused to leave his beloved wife Judy for even three days as she battled severe dementia.
In one of life’s savage twists, the couple — who have devoted their life to community projects, indigenous care and charity in the Northern Territory — are facing twin health battles.
Judy’s dementia diagnosis saw the entire Bowden family return to live in Darwin in recent years, including second-generation Tigers Sean, Joel and Patrick.
Then last June, Michael was diagnosed with motor neurone disease — the unforgiving affliction that has struck Neale Daniher and so many Australians.
Yet as dual Jack Dyer medallist Joel said this week, Michael Bowden has not been spared the slow progress of the disease that has been Daniher’s silver lining.
Joel Bowden, Patrick Bowden and Michael Bowden with the premiership cup. Picture: Richmond FC
The former teacher at O’Loughlin Catholic College in Darwin, with a mind so bright he will be presented with a PhD in Adelaide on December 6 for his work on the intersection of indigenous culture and catholicism, has already lost the power to speak.
The progress of motor neurone disease through his body is the rule to Daniher’s exception. So instead of travelling to see the Tigers hold aloft the premiership cup, the precious silverware has travelled to him.
In what has become one of footy’s great traditions, that cup is midway through a tour of Australia that has included the Tiwi Islands, Western Australia, Queensland and the hospital bed of another Tiger coterie member who will not see another flag.
Joel Bowden told the Herald Sun this week it was a magical moment in a year that has been full of challenges for the Bowden kids — his brothers Sean, Rhett, Kane and Patrick and sister Majella.
“It was absolutely sensational,” he said.
“I didn’t get to see a Richmond flag until I was 39 and now my kids have seen two premierships, attended one and held a premiership cup.
“We had the whole family there except Sean and some friends popped over and it was just fabulous. We had tried to get Dad down to Melbourne but he just wouldn’t do it, he wouldn’t leave Mum.
“We would have flown down Friday, watched Saturday and come back Sunday. Mum has dementia and she might not have even realised he was gone but he was just too devoted to leaving her for three-day period.”
Patrick and Joel Bowden during their playing days with the Tigers.
Michael Bowden was the ruck rover alongside four-time premiership ruckman Michael Green, proud of his days spent grappling with Carlton great John Nicholls so Green could come over the top in ruck contests.
Sons Joel and Kane had moved back to Darwin to be with Majella, Rhett and Sean after Judy’s diagnosis, and Patrick moved north after Michael’s diagnosis.
“My yardstick has been Neale Daniher and he has been living with the disease for five or six years but Dad was diagnosed last June and has already lost his speech completely,” Joel said. “He has lost nearly 30 per cent of his body mass and is deteriorating.
“He wants to live his life until the end and the disease will take away his physical capabilities.
“But we want to celebrate his life while he’s alive, we don’t want to sit there and say it would have been great to be here when Dad was still here.”
Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale says the passage of the premiership cup across Australia has allowed it to come into contact with Tigers from all walks of life.
A delegation led by ex-Tiger Jake King took the cup to Flying Tiger coterie member Brian Donaldson in hospital as he fights his own significant health battle.
Ben Jenkins, Brian Donaldson, Jake King and Craig Smithers with the premiership cup. Picture: Richmond FC
“We have been able to get around the country to most states and not only people who have been important in our history but our fans too,” Gale said this week.
“Mick (Bowden) is one of those. He was at the 1969 premiership reunion this year and it was great to share it with him. He has his challenges at the moment but I saw the pictures of him with the cup and all his kids and grandkids and it was just wonderful.
“Footy means so much to so many people and it’s a privilege to be able to share the cup with the supporters we have.
“We have a really valued long-standing coterie member (Donaldson) who is one of what we call the Flying Tigers from New Zealand and WA, and one of only three of them who have travelled to every game.
Daniel Rioli took the premiership cup home to the Tiwi Islands. Picture: Michael Klein
“To be able to take it to him in hospital was wonderful.
“It has been in the Tiwi Islands (with Daniel Rioli), in shopping centres in Darwin, and not everyone can get there but it’s symbolic of our intent to share it with everyone.”
Gale came through university with Sean and saw someone who passed up the riches of commercial law to instead start a legal firm that often represents Northern Territory’s indigenous communities.
“They are a family that has parents who live their lives in the service of others,” he said.
Michael, whose decade-old charity ride to raise funds for various charities this year turned to MND research, has now moved to an electric bike but still gets out when he can.
“I am sitting in my office with the photo of us and Dad on my pinboard,” Joel said.
“It’s pride of place with the Grand Final tickets. I am so grateful to the Richmond footy club through Brendon Gale and Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin because we get to share in it.
“All of us are back here in Darwin enjoyin
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sacked/id1470557961
Michael Bowden’s kids tried to convince him to travel to Melbourne to witness Richmond’s premiership victory before “The Beast” fully took hold.
But 50 years after his role in Richmond’s 1969 premiership triumph, Bowden refused to leave his beloved wife Judy for even three days as she battled severe dementia.
In one of life’s savage twists, the couple — who have devoted their life to community projects, indigenous care and charity in the Northern Territory — are facing twin health battles.
Judy’s dementia diagnosis saw the entire Bowden family return to live in Darwin in recent years, including second-generation Tigers Sean, Joel and Patrick.
Then last June, Michael was diagnosed with motor neurone disease — the unforgiving affliction that has struck Neale Daniher and so many Australians.
Yet as dual Jack Dyer medallist Joel said this week, Michael Bowden has not been spared the slow progress of the disease that has been Daniher’s silver lining.
Joel Bowden, Patrick Bowden and Michael Bowden with the premiership cup. Picture: Richmond FC
The former teacher at O’Loughlin Catholic College in Darwin, with a mind so bright he will be presented with a PhD in Adelaide on December 6 for his work on the intersection of indigenous culture and catholicism, has already lost the power to speak.
The progress of motor neurone disease through his body is the rule to Daniher’s exception. So instead of travelling to see the Tigers hold aloft the premiership cup, the precious silverware has travelled to him.
In what has become one of footy’s great traditions, that cup is midway through a tour of Australia that has included the Tiwi Islands, Western Australia, Queensland and the hospital bed of another Tiger coterie member who will not see another flag.
Joel Bowden told the Herald Sun this week it was a magical moment in a year that has been full of challenges for the Bowden kids — his brothers Sean, Rhett, Kane and Patrick and sister Majella.
“It was absolutely sensational,” he said.
“I didn’t get to see a Richmond flag until I was 39 and now my kids have seen two premierships, attended one and held a premiership cup.
“We had the whole family there except Sean and some friends popped over and it was just fabulous. We had tried to get Dad down to Melbourne but he just wouldn’t do it, he wouldn’t leave Mum.
“We would have flown down Friday, watched Saturday and come back Sunday. Mum has dementia and she might not have even realised he was gone but he was just too devoted to leaving her for three-day period.”
Patrick and Joel Bowden during their playing days with the Tigers.
Michael Bowden was the ruck rover alongside four-time premiership ruckman Michael Green, proud of his days spent grappling with Carlton great John Nicholls so Green could come over the top in ruck contests.
Sons Joel and Kane had moved back to Darwin to be with Majella, Rhett and Sean after Judy’s diagnosis, and Patrick moved north after Michael’s diagnosis.
“My yardstick has been Neale Daniher and he has been living with the disease for five or six years but Dad was diagnosed last June and has already lost his speech completely,” Joel said. “He has lost nearly 30 per cent of his body mass and is deteriorating.
“He wants to live his life until the end and the disease will take away his physical capabilities.
“But we want to celebrate his life while he’s alive, we don’t want to sit there and say it would have been great to be here when Dad was still here.”
Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale says the passage of the premiership cup across Australia has allowed it to come into contact with Tigers from all walks of life.
A delegation led by ex-Tiger Jake King took the cup to Flying Tiger coterie member Brian Donaldson in hospital as he fights his own significant health battle.
Ben Jenkins, Brian Donaldson, Jake King and Craig Smithers with the premiership cup. Picture: Richmond FC
“We have been able to get around the country to most states and not only people who have been important in our history but our fans too,” Gale said this week.
“Mick (Bowden) is one of those. He was at the 1969 premiership reunion this year and it was great to share it with him. He has his challenges at the moment but I saw the pictures of him with the cup and all his kids and grandkids and it was just wonderful.
“Footy means so much to so many people and it’s a privilege to be able to share the cup with the supporters we have.
“We have a really valued long-standing coterie member (Donaldson) who is one of what we call the Flying Tigers from New Zealand and WA, and one of only three of them who have travelled to every game.
Daniel Rioli took the premiership cup home to the Tiwi Islands. Picture: Michael Klein
“To be able to take it to him in hospital was wonderful.
“It has been in the Tiwi Islands (with Daniel Rioli), in shopping centres in Darwin, and not everyone can get there but it’s symbolic of our intent to share it with everyone.”
Gale came through university with Sean and saw someone who passed up the riches of commercial law to instead start a legal firm that often represents Northern Territory’s indigenous communities.
“They are a family that has parents who live their lives in the service of others,” he said.
Michael, whose decade-old charity ride to raise funds for various charities this year turned to MND research, has now moved to an electric bike but still gets out when he can.
“I am sitting in my office with the photo of us and Dad on my pinboard,” Joel said.
“It’s pride of place with the Grand Final tickets. I am so grateful to the Richmond footy club through Brendon Gale and Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin because we get to share in it.
“All of us are back here in Darwin enjoyin
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sacked/id1470557961
