- The superstar athletes have been together since last year.
- The normally private Cleary has spoken about the romance in detail.
Nathan Cleary has given fans a tell-all account of the beginning of his romance with Matildas star Mary Fowler, finally addressing surprising speculation about how their relationship became public.
Widely regarded as the NRL’s greatest ever player, the 26-year-old also spoke for the first time about the time he was involved in a “car chase” shortly after exclusive Daily Mail photos first made their relationship public.
Our photographs show the pair sharing a tender moment in a Perth park last November after Cleary made the trip from Sydney to watch Fowler play for the Matildas – and from that moment on, everything changed for the two of them.
“Whenever I was with her, I felt like we were two normal people… and then all of a sudden people started taking pictures of us, and then they posted them, and then there were articles, then there were people waiting outside my house,” Cleary said. Marlee and I podcast.
The pair have largely kept the spotlight on the sidelines as their relationship has grown, but there is one episode (unrelated to any of the Daily Mail Australia’s stories about them) that stands out for the Penrith Panthers scrum-half.
“One day I was driving and I noticed a car was following me,” he said.
‘Then I did a few laps, a few laps, and they did exactly the same laps. I was practically in a car chase.
“That blew my mind. I understand it, I guess, because people care about (romance).
The photos that changed everything: Cleary is seen sharing a tender moment with Fowler in Daily Mail Australia’s exclusive photos from November last year
The NRL star’s shirtless photos sparked speculation that he had staged the photo opportunity, a rumour he eventually addressed almost a year later.
“It all happened so fast, and now that their relationship was in the public eye, it was hard to take it in.”
Cleary also addressed rumours that he staged photos of himself and Fowler hugging in Perth, with the fact he was shirtless at the time fuelling speculation that he tipped off the photographer.
“I swear to God I had no idea,” he said.
‘Until that point, we were probably pretty indifferent as to how much people actually cared.
‘After the park we went back to the car and then we saw someone with the big camera there, and practically a couple of hours later everything came to light.’
And while he is one of Australia’s most recognisable and popular athletes, the three-time championship winner admitted that Australians sometimes ignore him in favour of Mary when they want a photo.
‘Sometimes I get brushed off. (Fans say) ‘Oh, you don’t.’
Since the Perth photos brought their relationship to light, the superstar athletes have shared plenty of loved-up photos as their love became Instagram official.
Cleary also revealed the paparazzi car chase he was involved in as interest in his relationship with the Matildas and Manchester City star reached fever pitch.
The pair first attracted attention as a potential couple when they were spotted together on a leisurely walk along the Nepean River in Penrith, western Sydney, last year.
They were later seen sharing an ice cream after a promotional event organized by Adidas, a brand they both endorse.
Since those Perth photos were taken, the couple have shared plenty of loved-up snaps on social media, with Fowler catching up with Cleary whenever she is able to return to Australia to enjoy some time off from her job with Manchester City or honour her playing and training commitments with the Matildas.
Last week, rumours emerged linking Cleary with a possible move to play in the English Super League to be closer to her partner.
According to what has been described as outlandish speculation, the Panthers player is considering taking a year out of the NRL in a move that would send shockwaves through Australian football.
That seems unlikely, however, with Panthers boss Brian Fletcher and Cleary’s manager George Mimis stressing the idea had never been raised with them.