- Nathan Cleary will stop surgery to be with Mary Fowler
- The NRL champion will soon head to the UK to be with his partner
- Nathan Cleary arrived at the grand final injured
Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has revealed that his son Nathan will call off surgery so he can fly to the UK and spend time with teammate 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.
However, the superstar running back has suffered from recurring shoulder problems all season and revealed after the decider that he would soon have to undergo surgery again.
But Ivan says that’s been on the back burner for a couple of weeks.
“He’s going overseas to see Mary, spend some time with her and then he’ll call it a day,” she said. Seven at the club’s awards night on Tuesday.
‘(There was) a little bit of work today to see who needs surgery and all that. “We’ve got some guys picked on rep teams, which is always exciting, really good times.”
Fowler couldn’t be at the stadium to see Cleary win a fourth consecutive NRL crown because she was about to take the field for Manchester City, but she was still keeping an eye on the score.
Nathan Cleary will suspend surgery so he can spend time with his partner Mary Fowler
The NRL champion has been battling a shoulder injury all season.
Once his match was over, he posted a message on Instagram with the word “Him” along with a fiery eyes and heart emoji above a photo of Cleary celebrating with the trophy.
After playing a starring role in City’s 2-0 win over West Ham by scoring one goal and setting up the other, Fowler posted the caption “A good weekend indeed” along with photos of herself during the match and one of her wearing her man’s Panthers. shirt and giving the double approval in the City dressing room.
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.
Cleary has been celebrating winning the NRL grand final all week.
Fowler posted this photo of her wearing her boyfriend’s shirt in the Manchester City dressing room shortly after Penrith’s impressive win in the grand final.
Cleary recently spoke in detail about their relationship for the first time, explaining how Fowler changed his life, supported him and opened his eyes.
“I’ve loved it, it’s everything I would have ever dreamed of having a partner, to be honest,” he told Channel Nine’s Marlee and Me podcast.
“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.’