BRENTON Bowen hopes his frustrating sideline stint is finally over and he can get back to the business of helping the Northern Pride push towards a Queensland Cup title.

Bowen makes his Pride return tomorrow after a frustrating three-month break, sidelined with plantar fasciitis.

The painful foot injury has plagued the former Cowboy and Titan’s season, making even mundane actions a chore.

‘‘Over the last 12-13 weeks, the pain would never go away.

‘‘It wouldn’t get better, wouldn’t get worse, it was just a bruised feeling in my heel,’’ Bowen said of the tears in his plantar fascia, the ligament under the foot.

‘‘Even just sitting down watching TV it’s still there, it’s just painful. I couldn’t stand in one place for longer than 10 seconds, I had to sit down, there was just a throbbing in the left heel.’’

Rest and deep-tissue massage has helped the problem and Bowen’s comeback was confirmed last week.

‘‘I haven’t kept count but I think it’s about 14 weeks (I’ve been out),’’ Bowen said.

‘‘I just wanted to get out there and play, especially with the boys going the way they are.

‘‘I just want to do my bit for the team. It’s been a frustrating wait on the sideline.

‘‘It feels heaps better at the moment and the doc said I’m right to go, so I’m happy with that, I can do my bit.’’

While Bowen formed a potent combination on the left side with centre Brett Anderson early in the season, the Pride is likely to keep Kaine Manihera on the left and reunite Bowen with former Cowboys and North Queensland Young Guns teammate Rod Jensen.

‘‘Kaino (Manihera) has been doing a good job there, so I think he’ll be playing on the left with Ando (Brett Anderson) and I’m out on the right with Roddy Jensen.

‘‘It’ll help having played alongside him at the Young Guns and Cowboys.’’

Hope Vale product Bowen was one of the Pride’s high-profile signings in the off-
season and while he is desperate to play, he did not expect
to waltz back into the side given the club’s eight-game winning run.

"I was right to play this week but I didn’t think I’d be a chance of playing with the way the boys were going, I didn’t want to change a winning combination,’’ Bowen said.

‘‘But obviously with Mick (Bani) getting a call up (to the Cowboys) I get a chance to play on the wing and I’m going to make the most of it.’’

The Pride can not be tipped out of the finals but need to win tomorrow’s match in Burleigh and for Wynnum or the Sunshine Coast to lose if it is to seal a home playoff.

Tomorrow’s match will be telecast live on ABC at 2pm.

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