Fresh from spearheading Penrith’s fourth successive premiership title, Nathan Cleary has been enjoying a trip over to Europe to spend some time with his girlfriend Mary Fowler.
Cleary looks set to hold off on undergoing surgery on his troublesome shoulder injury until he returns to Australia, with the halfback having flown over to the United Kingdom a week ago.
In that time, he’s been very busy catching up with his girlfriend Fowler, who on Sunday, helped Manchester City clinch a 2-1 victory against Aston Villa at the Joie Stadium.
The Australian sporting power couple have been enjoying some time together, being pictured a week ago at Old Trafford watching the Super League Grand Final between Wigan and Hull Kingston Rovers.
Fowler also shared a snap of Cleary on her Instagram in recent days, with the Penrith star looking through a camera that still had its lens cover on.
‘Nice photo babes,’ Fowler captioned the picture.
Fowler has had a busy few weeks of late with Man City, with the Matildas star heading out to Vienna last week for City’s Women’s Champions League victory against St Polten.
The 21-year-old has been seriously impressing for City and has two goals in all competitions so far this season.
And today, Cleary popped up in the stands at the Joie Stadium to cheer on his girlfriend.
Penrith star Nathan Cleary posted a picture on his Instagram story watching his girlfriend Mary Fowler play for Man city
The NRL star is currently on holiday in the UK with girlfriend Fowler
Fowler (left) starred as Man City women beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday afternoon in Manchester
The Panthers star shared a picture on his Instagram story appearing to show Fowler playing for Man City.
City would show their resilience to come back from going a goal down, with second-half goals from Lauren Hemp and Jill Roord helping keep Gareth Taylor’s side three points clear of rivals Manchester United at the top of the WSL.
Cleary, meanwhile, has recently poured cold water on rumours that have linked him with a move away from the Panthers. Some reports had claimed that he could move to Europe to be closer to his partner, Fowler.
But the NRL star, whose contract at the Panthers runs out in 2027, claimed he wasn’t planning on moving away from the club anytime soon.
It comes after Former Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan claimed that the Wallabies should attempt to poach Cleary from the Panthers, by offering him a large sum of money.
Joseph Suaalii recently made the call to swap codes, and McLennan believes Rugby Australia should do the same with Cleary.
‘Joseph [Suaalii] has already driven massive interest in rugby union and paid for himself over and over again,’ McLennan told SMH.
‘He’s a global rugby superstar before he has even pulled on a Wallaby jumper, and he’ll be a wonderful role model for aspiring young players.
‘The decades-long under-performance of the Wallabies means they need investment in the top tier to drive value in sponsorship, media rights and crowds. We haven’t won a World Cup since 1999, and a Bledisloe Cup in 23 years, so you don’t need more evidence the system needs an overhaul and to be centralised.’
Last week Fowler posted a picture of her and Cleary out for coffee, and poked fun at her boyfriend
Cleary recently poured cold water on speculation linking him with a move to Europe
McLennan wants the recruitment drive into the NRL to continue and urges rugby to open the chequebook for Panthers playmaker Nathan Cleary.
‘I’d be having a crack at the likes of Nathan Cleary and a few others,’ he said.
‘The game needs another five Josephs as the World Cup for ’27 [to be played in Australia] is just around the corner and the clock is ticking … Thank god for Joseph, because that’s all everyone is talking about.
‘Australia is No.10 in the world [rankings] and needs an injection of talent or there will be nothing left to sell.’
