With a fourth consecutive NRL title in the books, Nathan Cleary has achieved everything there is to achieve in the NRL. Then he might be tempted to go in search of love with his flame Mary Fowler.
Cleary was exceptional in the 14-6 victory over Melbourne Storm, the team that beat Penrith in their first grand final of a five-year run in 2020.
It now makes him a four-time champion, Dally M Medal winner, Clive Churchill Medal winner, State of Origin champion and World Cup winner with the Australian Kangaroos.
There’s no cabinet room left for Cleary. So could it be considered another shock for the English Super League?
‘In fact, I was speechless. Five years ago, four or five years ago, I was there crying and losing to these guys who have been the best for so long. (Now) we just won four in a row. Honestly, it’s mind-blowing,” he said after Sunday’s grand final victory.
‘This feeling here is worth it. It’s hard to get to the top, it’s very hard to say there, but at this moment it’s all worth it. It’s honestly the best feeling in the world.”
Rumors have circulated that Nathan Cleary could say goodbye to the NRL for a year in 2025 to be closer to his girlfriend Mary Fowler in the UK.
Cleary and Fowler have been dating since late 2023, as Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed.
Fowler plays for Manchester City in the UK, which presents challenges for the young couple.
Mary and Nathan began dating in late 2023, and their relationship was first revealed by Daily Mail Australia.
They have since become Australia’s leading sporting couple, with their social media posts attracting thousands of reactions from football and rugby league fans.
This paved the way for the rumor that Cleary could be heading to the English Super League for the 2025 season, to be closer to his Manchester City teammate.
There has been speculation that the champion running back could be allowed a one-year window to play in the UK before returning to the Panthers in 2026.
It was a suggestion that the Panthers closed quickly in September. Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher and Cleary’s agent George Mimis said it had never been discussed, much less formalized.
That didn’t stop tongues wagging when Cleary was seen shaking the Panthers boss’s hand after a game in September in what appeared to be a congratulatory gesture.
That fueled rumors that Cleary and Fowler were ready to take their relationship to the next level.
Panthers winger Brian To’o couldn’t help but stitch up his captain recently, joking that Cleary and Fowler were engaged.
‘Nathan? Yes, he’s here with Mary,’ To’o joked.
‘They’re just chilling because everyone is going crazy. You’re practically here because of Nathan and Mary, so congratulations, I think you guys got engaged.
‘Congratulations to them.’
Team-mate Mitch Kenny also recently laughed off the rumours, saying: “Yeah, three years, Warrington.”
‘I realized it late. I didn’t know I was going around, so I missed the train.’
Fowler has opened up about the impact it has had on her life, showing how serious the young couple are.
Cleary has neither confirmed nor fully denied the rumors, but recently opened up about her relationship with Fowler.
“I’ve loved it, it’s everything I could have ever dreamed of having a partner, to be honest,” he said.
“It just adds a new perspective, but it also adds an extra layer that when things are going well, you want to share it with them and talk about it, and when things aren’t going well, they’re there too.”
‘I feel very supportive and I loved it. To be honest, it’s a great addition to life and made me very happy.
“Love wins.”
Cleary has previously stated that playing in Super League later in his career was a definite possibility.
‘Yes, I’m not against it. I have a pretty open mind to that kind of thing. I think just being able to experience different cultures and different experiences is something that I enjoy doing. “I’m not closed to that idea,” he said.
Any decision could come sooner than expected, with Cleary likely to be ruled out of the Australian Pacific Championship team.
Cleary is likely to be ruled out of the Australian Kangaroos’ Pacific Championship squad after the grand final.
Cleary is scheduled to lead the Australian Kangaroos in the Pacific Championship starting on October 18.
He was named runner by coach Mal Meninga for the international tournament which also includes Tonga, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands and New Zealand.
Cleary missed last year’s Pacific Championship due to a knee injury suffered in the epic grand final comeback against the Brisbane Broncos and looks likely to miss this year’s tournament as well to undergo shoulder surgery .
—I would say it is very likely that they will operate on him. But again, we’re just going to do what we have to do and weigh the risks and the options,” Panthers coach and father Ivan Cleary said.