Mary Fowler left Sydney on Thursday after enjoying a break following the Paris Olympics, but there was no emotional farewell with boyfriend Nathan Cleary at the airport.
The 21-year-old returned home after the Matildas’ disappointing campaign at the Paris Olympics, where they failed to make it past the group stage thanks to defeats to Germany and the United States, and a huge scare against Zambia.
With her English side Manchester City due to play a pre-season tournament in Australia from August 21 to September 2, the forward had recently been spending some quality time with her boyfriend, NRL star Nathan Cleary; the Penrith star was licking his wounds after suffering another injury this season.
But after reconnecting with her boyfriend, she is now fully focused on the upcoming season, and Fowler was pictured at Sydney Airport before meeting up with her City teammates.
There was no sign of Cleary, however, with Fowler seen browsing through books in the hope of finding some reading material for his flight to Perth, where City will play Leicester in a pre-season friendly.
Fowler was dressed in a casual beige sweater, jeans and Ugg boots, as well as a cap, and traveled light, carrying only a small carry-on suitcase and a backpack.
Cleary had already sacked Fowler when she left Sydney in May, and the scrum-half behaved like a gentleman by pushing her luggage before checking in.
However, Fowler did not spend all her time in Sydney with Cleary and was seen working hard in the gym with Matildas teammate Courtney Nevin in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, close to Cleary’s home.
Mary Fowler was spotted at Sydney Airport after spending a short break with her boyfriend Nathan Cleary
The 21-year-old browsed through books before heading to Perth with her Manchester City teammates.
Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a previously unseen tattoo on the City star, with an inscription on his lower back reading: “Love by faith, not by sight.”
The message can be read as a variation on the theme “love is more than skin deep,” meaning that affection for someone cannot be based solely on superficial things like their appearance.
The phrase also bears a strong resemblance to “we live by faith, not by sight,” which is a passage from the book of Corinthians in the Bible.
Fowler’s other tattoos do not appear in any of the selfies on his Instagram account.
Her Australian holiday saw her enjoy a day out at some markets in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, alongside Cleary, who shortly after suffered a shoulder injury that initially led to speculation her season could be over.
However, he no longer needs surgery and is expected to return to the field for the final as Penrith bid to win four straight championships.
The couple enjoyed breakfast at a local cafe and then explored the Glenbrook Rotary Markets, where Nathan tried out a scented candle as they looked relaxed and happy.
Both Fowler and Cleary are well aware of the challenges of injury and the road to recovery.
There was no sign of Fowler’s football star boyfriend Nathan Cleary at the airport.
Fowler had enjoyed a break with Cleary following the Matildas’ Olympic campaign.
Fowler has dealt with recurring back and foot problems throughout his young career, while Cleary has a more extensive history with injuries.
Fortunately, his most recent setback affects the shoulder opposite the one he injured in 2021.
Mary and Nathan began dating late last year and their relationship was first reported by Daily Mail Australia.
The initial report featured photographs 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 then confirmed their romance on Instagram in January.
In May, NSW’s star scrum-half Nathan was sidelined with a grade two 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 very private. Nathan has admitted that the attention his private life has received has been unexpected.
“Obviously, it’s different than when I was young and in first grade and people were analyzing my game. I didn’t have that before,” he shared earlier this year.
