The only thing that fazed Matt Bowen after North Queensland booked an NRL finals re-match with Manly was catering for extended family who had emerged ahead of a stunning 33-16 weekend win over Brisbane in Townsville.

Not that Bowen was showing any disrespect before Friday night’s clash with the defending premiers, who dismissed them 42-8 in last season’s opening finals round.

But even the usually unflappable Bowen appeared concerned when asked where he would house family members after they cheered on the livewire fullback in a 250th NRL game to remember.

“Every second week mum and dad come down but this time there was a truckload,” Bowen said of the support from his hometown Hope Vale in far north Queensland.

Cowboys co-captain Matt Scott then interjected with a smirk: “Literally”.

A smiling Bowen then continued: “I don’t know where they will be sleeping tonight, they will be all dogging up on the floor somewhere.

“But they have been supporting me every year I have been playing so I have to say thanks to them.”

Bowen will again loom as the key judging by his brilliant display against a mistake-prone but in the end outclassed Broncos on Saturday night.

The stats said it all – Bowen notched one try, two try assists, two line breaks, six tackle breaks and eight runs for 82 metres.

The highlight came in the second half when Bowen again leapt high to collect a kick-return, before beating four defenders then offloading for flying centre Brent Tate to score and blow the deficit out to 26-6, before kicking a last-gasp field goal to cap off the night.

Not a bad effort from a 30-year-old whose career was at a crossroads three years ago when recovering from a second knee reconstruction.

Broncos coach Anthony Griffin backed a Bowen-inspired Cowboys to knock over a Manly side reeling from an injury to captain Jamie Lyon and both Jason King and Steve Matai being placed on report.

“I think Manly are a bit busted. They’re a good chance, the Cowboys,” he said.

Asked if North Queensland were now favourites against Manly after notching five straight wins, Cowboys coach Neil Henry said: “We will take any tag we get – we’ve just got to go and play some footy.

“There was a bit of emotion out there (on Saturday night) with Payney (retiring hooker Aaron Payne) and Matty’s 250th – and all in a pressure, sudden-death game.

“But there is self belief there. And that puts us in a good position after limping into the finals last year.”