Ex-rugby star Steve Bowden’s mansion contains a memento of a fight – realestate.com.au

Former rugby star Steve Bowden is selling his mansion in Brighton, where a memento of one of his famous fights takes pride of place, with an asking range of $22.8 million to $25 million.

Bowden, who became a hotel magnate after his sporting career, played for Sydney’s Newtown Jets from 1978-1982.

He was selected for the 1981 NSW State of Origin team but was sin-binned after a fight in which Queensland’s Rod Morris was sidelined.

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That same year, Bowden missed the NSW Rugby League grand final after a punch in the semi-final in which he headbutted and hit Manly’s Mark Broadhurst.

Bowden – who described the brawl as “an infamous fight” and “the longest fight in the history of rugby league” – was sent off and subsequently missed several matches, including a grand final.

A 2020 article on Foxsports.com labeled the incident as “the most barbaric act in SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground) history” and online videos of the scrimmage are longer than two minutes.

Bowden, who also worked security for boxing champion Danny Green, sold two hotels in Sydney in 2017 for a combined $90 million.

Steve Bowden in the dressing room after a match against Canterbury in 1982. Photo: Phil Merchant.

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The house is close to Brighton’s famous bathhouses.

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The upper terrace and living room, plus the master bedroom, are the perfect place to enjoy the views over the bay.

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Four years ago he bought the four-bedroom house at 90 Esplanade for $16.5 million, which he has since extensively modernized.

Bowden, now 70 years old, said the 1,387-square-foot home with a resort-style heated pool and spa, a pavilion with an outdoor kitchen, a modern grass tennis court, a three-level elevator and a six-car garage had initially appealed to him as a retirement prospect.

The “spectacular” view of Port Phillip Bay, just off the beach near the Brighton baths, was another major draw.

Bowden said he had loved hosting family birthdays and Christmas parties at the residence, but was now planning to downsize, possibly to Byron Bay or to London for a while, where his son and young grandson live.

But the ex-rugby player said he might not sell if he found love with a Victorian woman.

“If I find someone here in Melbourne for a partnership, I may not sell, but that’s a big task

question,” Bowden added.

The kitchen is equipped with Miele and Gaggenau appliances and there is a terrace for outdoor dining.

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Steve Bowden at The Ritz Hotel in Sydney, which he sold for $52 million in 2007 before reacquiring and then reselling it in 2017 as part of a two-hotel deal for $90 million.

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Bowden added the waterfall feature to the pool.

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A large black and white photo of the fight between him and Broadhurst can be seen in the study of the home.

“Even though it was the longest fight in rugby league history, my fame

came before me – because of that event I missed the grand final due to suspension,” Bowden recalls.

“The late Jack Gibson and John Singleton told me that if I had played, the other prop for Parramatta would have been very quiet, we might have won the match,”

The late Gibson was an Australian rugby league coach, player and commentator, while advertising guru Mr Singleton is a long-time supporter of the Newtown Jets.

“It’s not just a memory, it’s enshrined in the folklore of rugby league followers, synonymous with not giving in and not giving up,” Bowden said of the fight.

The study, where you can see a photo of Mark Broadhurst and Steve Bowden fighting during a match in Sydney in 1981…

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…and a close-up of Mark Broadhurst (left) and Steve Bowden (right) arguing during the brawl.

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A spiral staircase leads through two levels, but you can also take the elevator.

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Visitors to his home are welcomed by a marble foyer clad in American oak and a 6.6-meter-long curved staircase.

The formal dining room seats more than 20 guests, while the kitchen is equipped with Miele and Gaggenau appliances and a terrace.

The entertainers’ area in the garden is bordered by high hedges, increasing privacy for the poolside bathroom and outdoor shower.

Motorized gates, zoned underfloor heating, a wine cellar and an intercom entrance complete the package.

Bowden said he had been improving the home for the past four years

“Everything has been updated to perfection, the top deck looks so much better, all the irrigation is in place and there is a water feature in the pool,” he said.

The mansion has reverse cycle heating and cooling, CCTV and an intercom entrance.

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Store your spirits collection in the wine cellar.

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“As a good guardian, there is nothing more I can do with this place, make it better than this – there is no orb missing.”

The previous owners had even inspected the property and said it looked much better than when they lived there, he added.

RT Edgar’s Will Maxted, who is leading the sales campaign with colleague Rina Ma, said he had received inquiries about the mansion from buyers in London.

And next week a buyer from Sydney will fly here to inspect.

The house has a total of five bathrooms.

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“It is incredibly rare to find a home of this caliber right on the Esplanade with such commanding, elevated views of the bay,” said Mr Maxted.

“The property last traded quietly off-market, and this is the first time it has ever been publicly available. Opportunities like this simply don’t happen anymore.”

Expressions of interest close on December 9 at 5pm.

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