Mary Fowler reveals how she and Nathan Cleary make their long-distance romance work – and drops a bombshell about her playing future that will crush Matildas fans
Australian Matilda’s star Mary Fowler has been famously guarded about her relationship with NRL superstar Nathan Cleary, but has now opened up on how they are making long-distance romance work.
Fowler and Penrith Panthers star halfback Nathan Cleary have been in a relationship since August 2023.
Their romance began after meeting at an Adidas event, where they connected over deep conversations about life rather than typical flirtation.
Despite the challenges of a long-distance relationship – Fowler playing soccer for Manchester City in the UK and Cleary playing rugby league for the Penrith Panthers in Australia – their relationship is still going strong.
Fowler is currently rehabbing a ruptured ACL and opened up on the injury, self-belief, her art and her romance with Cleary on the Keegan and Company podcast.
And she said there was one key factor that was helping the two sporting superstars manage the gulf of distance between them.
Mary Fowler and Nathan Cleary have been Australian sport’s power couple since 2023
The couple have been able to share time with each other in Australia (pictured), the UK and the United States but spend most of their time apart in different countries
‘I think it helped that we started off as long distance, because we didn’t have to transition from having so much nice time together, and then doing it,’ Fowler said.
‘Which I think is quite difficult. Like, I know couples that have been together for years and then one them has to go abroad for a bit, and it is just really difficult to transition from having that close contact and quality time, to now having a phone call. It just doesn’t match up.
‘But I think for the both of us, we just really enjoy having deep conversations and it has just worked for us how we’ve adjusted to having phone calls and having quality time on the phone.’
Fowler and Cleary will have often just chill out together on phone and video chats, and enjoy playing Bananagrams, a portable word game where players race to build connected crossword grids using letter tiles.
But they also engage in high-level, deep discussions which Fowler said they might not have if they were together in person constantly.
‘Sometimes we’ll have discussions, sometimes we will play games like Bananagrams, but I think we have just gotten really good at communicating,’ she said.
‘I think we see a lot of positives that come from being in long distance relationships before you transition to being together. Because our communication has to be so much better, because we are long distance.
‘Obviously you’re not with each other, so being able to discuss when are we going to be able to speak with each other, being on the phone having a conversation, I don’t know how often we would we sit down and just have conversations for hours if we were in person.
Fowler admitted she didn’t know much about rugby league until she met Cleary, but now she is a Penrith Panthers and New South Wales Blues convert
Cleary has also become a strong support of Australian football and has been spotted supporting Fowler at several Matildas matches
‘Yeah we would go for coffee and stuff, but maybe we would be doing other things. We would just be a lot more chill, having a lot more ‘ambi time’ rather than actually connecting in discussion.
‘I think that is something I enjoy having with him, that we’re able to just actually enjoy each other’s company just be doing nothing, just talking.’
Ambi time is a term Mary came up with while chatting with her best friends in Europe.
It can involve them watching TV, cooking, or just chilling while on the phone, rather than having deep discussions or somethings, even talking at all. Just being present with each other, but on the phone.
However, Fowler – who started her professional career at the Illawarra Stingrays after growing up in Cairns in far north Queensland – has bad news for Matildas fans.
The chances of her returning to Australia to play professional football are slim to none.
‘I’m not going to be playing football in Australia anytime soon, if ever,’ she said.
‘But I’m going to be in Europe, so if we do this, it’s going to have to be long distance.’
Sometimes the couple engage in deep, long conversations over the phone, sometimes they just like to play word games like Bananagrams
Fowler is currently on the comeback trail from an ACL injury, but says she is unlikely to return to Australia to play
Cleary is contracted with the Panthers until 2027, but there has been plenty of speculation he could seek an early release to be with his partner in the UK.
Fowler’s declaration that she will not be playing domestic football in Australia, possibly ever, will only fuel those rumours.
And Cleary has previously said that he could be open to the idea.
‘I’m not against it,’ he said.
‘I have a pretty open mind to that kind of stuff,’ he said.
‘I think just being able to experience different cultures and different experiences is something I enjoy doing.’
The Panthers recently let star forward James Fisher-Harris leave before his contract expired on compassionate grounds so he could be closer to family in New Zealand.
But whether they will do the same for their star halfback, or whether the question is even asked, remains undetermined.
For now, Cleary is just happy with the status quo.
‘It’s always a nice thing to look forward to after a game, and getting to see her on FaceTime,’ he said previously.
‘We don’t really talk about the game much. She’s still learning about the game – she never watched footy.
‘She makes me happy, and that definitely helps – she’s super supportive, and that’s what I love about her.’
