Mary Fowler left Sydney on Thursday after enjoying a post-Olympic holiday in Paris, but there was no emotional farewell to her boyfriend Nathan Cleary at the airport.
The 21-year-old returned home after the Matildas’ disappointing Olympic Games in Paris, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage after losses to Germany and the US and a huge defeat to Zambia.
With her England team Manchester City playing in a friendly tournament in Australia from August 21 to September 2, the forward has been spending a lot of time with her NRL star boyfriend Nathan Cleary. The Penrith star has been licking his wounds after suffering another injury this season.
But after recovering with her boyfriend, she is now fully focused on the season ahead. Fowler was photographed at Sydney Airport just before she was due to join up with her City team-mates.
There was no sign of Cleary, however. Fowler was spotted browsing through books in the hope of finding some reading material before her flight to Perth, where City are playing a pre-season friendly against Leicester.
Fowler wore a casual beige sweater, jeans, UGG boots and a cap. He had only a small carry-on suitcase and a backpack with him.
Cleary had previously sent Fowler away when she left Sydney in May, with the halfback playing the part of a lady by loading her luggage onto a wheelchair before checking in.
Fowler didn’t spend all her time in Sydney with Cleary, however. She was spotted working hard in the gym with Matildas teammate Courtney Nevin in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, near Cleary’s home.
Mary Fowler was spotted at Sydney airport after spending a short holiday with her boyfriend Nathan Cleary
The 21-year-old browsed through books before flying from Man City to Perth with her teammates
Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a never-before-seen tattoo on the City star’s head, with the inscription on her lower back reading: ‘Love by faith, not by sight’.
The message can be read as a variation on the theme of ‘love is more than skin deep’, meaning that affection for someone cannot be based solely on superficial things like one’s appearance.
The phrase also sounds a lot like “we live by faith, not by sight,” a passage from the Corinthians in the Bible.
Fowler’s addition to her other tattoos is not visible in her Instagram selfies.
While on holiday in Australia, she visited a number of markets in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, with Cleary. He had recently suffered a shoulder injury, which initially led to speculation that his season was over.
However, he will not require surgery and is expected to be back on the field for the final, where Penrith will be bidding to win four consecutive titles.
The couple enjoyed breakfast at a local cafe before exploring the Rotary Markets in Glenbrook, where Nathan sampled a scented candle as they looked relaxed and happy.
Both Fowler and Cleary are familiar with the challenges of injuries and the road to recovery.
There was no sign of Fowler’s soccer star boyfriend Nathan Cleary at the airport
Fowler had enjoyed a break with Cleary following the Matildas’ Olympic campaign
Fowler has struggled with recurring back and foot problems in her young career, while Cleary has a longer history of injuries.
Fortunately, his most recent setback involves a shoulder that is not the same one he injured in 2021.
Mary and Nathan started dating late last year. Daily Mail Australia was the first to report on their relationship.
The first report featured photos of Mary resting her head on Nathan’s chest as they enjoyed a quiet moment together in a Perth park ahead of one of her Matildas matches.
The couple went public with their relationship in October in Perth and confirmed their romance on Instagram in January.
In May, NSW star Nathan was sidelined with a grade II hamstring injury, which ruled him out of the State of Origin series for eight weeks.
During his recovery, Nathan and Mary, 21, took the opportunity to spend some quality time together on a romantic getaway.
Both athletes keep their relationship fairly private. Nathan has admitted that the attention on his personal life was unexpected.
“It’s definitely different than when I was young and in first grade and people were dissecting my playing. I’d never had that before,” he shared earlier this year.