Four-time premiership winner Nathan Cleary has now achieved everything in the NRL. Could he be tempted to leave to be with Mary Fowler in England?
With a record fourth consecutive NRL title in the books, Nathan Cleary has achieved everything there is to achieve in the NRL. So he might be tempted to leave in search of love with his crush Mary Fowler.
Cleary was exceptional in the 14-6 win over the Melbourne Storm, the team that defeated Penrith in their first grand final of a five-year run in 2020.
It now makes him a four-time champion, a Dally M medalist, a Clive Churchill medalist, a State of Origin champion, a World Cup winner with the Australian Kangaroos.
There is no more room in the cabinet for Cleary. So could he be thinking of a bigger shock for the English Super League?
‘I’m actually at a loss for words. Five years ago, four or five years ago, I was standing there crying and losing to these guys who have been the best for so long. [Now] we just won four in a row. It’s really mind-boggling,” he said after Sunday’s grand final win.
‘This feeling here is worth it all. It’s hard to get to the top, very hard to say there, but right now it’s all worth it. It’s honestly the best feeling in the world.”
Rumors are swirling that Nathan Cleary could retire from the NRL for a year in 2025 to be closer to his girlfriend Mary Fowler in Britain
Cleary and Fowler have been an item since late 2023, as exclusively revealed by Daily Mail Australia
Fowler plays for Manchester City in Great Britain, which presents challenges for the young couple
Mary and Nathan started dating towards the end of 2023, with their relationship first revealed by Daily Mail Australia.
They have since become Australia’s top sporting power couple, with their social media posts attracting thousands of comments from football and rugby league fans.
This paved the way for rumors that Cleary could move to the English Super League for the 2025 season to be closer to his partner who plays for Manchester City.
There is speculation that the champion halfback could play in Britain for a year before returning to the Panthers in 2026.
It was a suggestion that the Panthers would retire quickly in September. Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher and Cleary’s agent George Mimis both said it was never discussed, let alone formalized.
That didn’t stop tongues wagging when Cleary was spotted shaking hands with the Panthers boss after a match in September in what appeared to be a congratulatory gesture.
That fueled rumors that Cleary and Fowler would take their relationship to the next level.
Panthers winger Brian To’o couldn’t resist taking a dig at his skipper recently, joking that Cleary and Fowler were engaged.
“Nathan? Yeah, he’s here with Mary,” To’o joked.
“They’re just chilling while everyone else is going crazy. They’re pretty much here for Nathan and Mary, so congratulations, I think they’re engaged.
“Congratulations to them.”
Teammate Mitch Kenny also recently laughed off the rumours, saying: ‘Yes, three years, Warrington.’
‘I found out late. I didn’t know it was going around, so I missed the boat.”
Fowler has opened up about the impact Fowler has had on his life, revealing just how serious the young couple is
Cleary hasn’t fully confirmed or denied the rumors, but recently opened up about his relationship with Fowler.
“I loved it, it’s everything I could have ever dreamed of having a partner, to be honest,” he said.
“It’s just added a new perspective, but it’s also added an extra layer: when things go well, you want to share it with them and talk about it, and when things don’t go well, they’re there too.
‘Super supportive and I absolutely loved it. It’s just a great addition to life to be honest and it’s made me very happy.
‘Love conquers.’
Cleary has previously stated that playing in the Super League was certainly possible later in his career.
‘Yes, I’m not against it. I’m quite open to things like that. I think experiencing different cultures and different experiences is something I enjoy doing. “I’m not closed to that idea,” he said.
Any decision could come sooner than expected, with Cleary likely to be left out of the Australian squad competing in the Pacific Championships.
Cleary is likely to be left out of the Australian Kangaroos squad to play in the Pacific Championships after the grand final
Cleary will lead the Australian Kangaroos into the Pacific Championships, which start on October 18.
He was appointed as halfback by coach Mal Meninga for the international tournament which also includes Tonga, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands and New Zealand.
Cleary missed last year’s Pacific Championships due to a knee injury suffered during the epic grand final comeback win against the Brisbane Broncos and is also likely to miss this year’s tournament due to shoulder surgery.
‘There’s a good chance he’ll have surgery, I’d say. But again, we’ll just go through what we need to do and weigh the risks and options,” Panthers coach and father Ivan Cleary said.