Trouble in paradise? Nathan Cleary comes home from the US instead of travelling to Canada to watch Mary Fowler play – as the Matildas young gun posts cryptic poem about life’s ‘awful moments’
NRL superstar Nathan Cleary has returned from a holiday in the US instead of making the short trip to Canada to watch his girlfriend Mary Fowler play for the Matildas this weekend.
It comes just days after Fowler posted a cryptic poem on Instagram about life's “terrible moments.”
Cleary, 26, took to social media herself on Thursday: upload a story to Instagram showing him cooking at his Sydney home.
The three-time premiership-winning halfback will soon begin pre-season training with the Panthers after spending the past few months traveling the world, with holidays in Bali and the US.
After months of innuendo, Cleary and Fowler went public with their romance after Ny Breaking Australia exclusively captured photos of the couple sharing some tender moments in a Perth park on October 31, ahead of a Matildas Olympic qualifier against Chinese Taipei.
NRL superstar Nathan Cleary has returned from the US instead of making the short trip to Canada to watch his girlfriend Mary Fowler play for the Matildas this weekend
It comes just days after Fowler posted a cryptic poem on Instagram about life's “terrible moments” (she's pictured with Cleary in Perth in October)
Cleary, 26, took to social media himself on Thursday, uploading a story to Instagram showing off his cooking at his Sydney home
This weekend, Fowler will be a key figure when the Matildas take on Canada in Langford
Social media quickly erupted with memes about their dating before the couple said their goodbyes before Fowler flew back to England to play with Manchester City in the Women's Super League.
Both athletes are said to be very private when it comes to their relationships, with sparks between the pair reportedly starting in August after they shared an ice cream together following a promotional event in Sydney.
The pair are both brand ambassadors for Adidas and enjoyed each other's company after filming with the global sports giant wrapped.
Following reports of the ice date, the first photos of Cleary and Fowler together emerged, showing the duo enjoying a walk along the Nepean River together during Australia's World Cup campaign.
Fowler and Cleary could reunite in person when she flies to Australia on December 21 for a fan event with Matildas teammates Alanna Kennedy and Mackenzie Arnold.
The event will take place at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, just half an hour's drive from Cleary's home in the NSW Blue Mountains.
This weekend, Fowler will be a key figure when the Matildas take on Canada in Langford.
Sparks between the high-profile sports couple reportedly started in August after a promotional event in Sydney
While in the US, the three-time premiership-winning halfback enjoyed a night helicopter flight over Manhattan (pictured)
Cleary had some drinks on the roof with friends during the trip to New York, where he also caught UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden
Cleary also let loose in Bali, during a family holiday (his sister Indi, is pictured on the left)
The halfback hurt his knee during the NRL Grand Final, which could delay his return to pre-season training (pictured, with Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell)
Captain Sam Kerr (foot) goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold (arm), young striker Holly McNamara (knee) and defender Charlotte Grant (hamstring) are all injured, with the first match at 2.30pm AEDT on Saturday.
Sarah Hunter, Jada Whyman, Alex Chidiac and Remy Siemsen have now been included in Tony Gustavsson's selection to replace the quartet.
“These last two games of the year will be invaluable,” said the Matildas coach.
“There have been a lot of players who have performed really well lately, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond against a good opponent.”
Canada will also say goodbye to one of the greatest soccer players of all time in Christine Sinclair, who is ready to play the final games of her impressive career.
Sinclair is a fourteen-time Canada Footballer of the Year and has captained her country since 2006. She played six World Cups, ten CONCACAF tournaments and four Olympic Games and won gold at the 2021 Tokyo Games.