Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary has taken time out of his final preparations to reveal he is “always checking in” on Mary Fowler to see how she deals with the intense interest in their romance.
The 26-year-old will attempt to win his fourth consecutive premiership when he and his Panthers teammates take on Melbourne in Sunday’s grand final, and while there has been speculation over Fowler’s attendance, Cleary has confirmed his commitments with Manchester City they will make that impossible.
In the past two weeks, she spoke in detail for the first time about her relationship with Fowler, explaining that she once got into a “car chase” with paparazzi after Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed their relationship with photos of the couple hugging in Perth.
Now the NRL’s top player has detailed how he shows his concern for Fowler as she struggles to be in the public eye.
“I felt a little sorry for Mary, just because her personal life was also in the spotlight and all the extra attention,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“For her, everything fell apart very quickly, right after the World Cup last year, and then the two of us.
“I’m always watching her, but she handles it well.
“It’s been a meteoric rise, but she’s humble and has a very good head on her shoulders.”
Nathan Cleary is concerned about how Mary Fowler handles the heightened interest in their relationship and struggles to control her.
The Panthers star says he “felt a little sorry for Mary” when intense interest in their romance first developed and she had to deal with fame.
When asked if he and Fowler talk about their respective sports and give each other advice, he said, “Sometimes it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
‘She always wants to talk about football and what’s going on. She is just there, supports me and I love it. “I am very lucky.”
Cleary might have the premiership trophy at around 9.30 on Sunday night, but Fowler has already bagged himself a big accolade this week.
The Matildas star was named Professional Footballers Australia’s young footballer of the year on Thursday, joining national teammates Ellie Carpenter and Alex Chidiac as two-time winners of the award.
Fowler, 21, said the honor, voted on by her peers, meant “a lot” to her.
“It’s one of the best awards I can receive because to receive something from the players I play with and against means… that they think I’m doing well and give me that kind of recognition,” Manchester City said. attack weapon, which also took home the award in 2022.
“I feel very grateful for that.”
Fowler has found form with Manchester City after struggling to make an impact during the Australian national team’s disastrous campaign at the Paris Olympics.
Last month she had an unforgettable night in the French capital, where she put in a magnificent performance against Paris FC in the Women’s Champions League.
Fowler added to the 5-1 goal shortly after halftime, slotting the ball in after a shocking mistake by the goalkeeper that gave him a golden opportunity to find the back of the net.
The Matildas star (pictured playing for Manchester City last month) took home one of Australian football’s top honors this week.
Earlier this month, Cleary also spoke out about rumors that he staged the photos of him and Fowler hugging in Perth, and the fact that he was shirtless at the time fueled speculation that he tipped off the photographer.
“I swear to God I had no idea,” he said.
‘Before that, we were probably pretty blasé about how much people really cared.
“After the park we went back to the car and then we saw someone with the big camera there, and almost a couple of hours later it all came to light.”
And while he is one of Australia’s most recognized and popular athletes, the three-time premiership winner admitted that Australians sometimes ignore him in favor of Mary when they want a photo.
‘Sometimes they brush me. (Fans say) “Oh, not you.”