Nathan Cleary has offered a rare glimpse into his relationship with Mary Fowler while continuing his recovery from two rounds of leg surgery — and in the process, appears to have shed new light on why the Matildas star recently stepped away from international duty.

Fowler had been ruled out of two upcoming Matildas friendlies due to “personal circumstances”, with few further details given at the time.

Now, Cleary’s latest message has added an unexpectedly personal layer to that absence.

Nathan Cleary shares heartfelt message for Mary Fowler

Cleary took to Instagram to share a series of photos with Fowler as he continues recovering from serious injuries to both legs.

Alongside the images, the Penrith Panthers captain made it clear just how much her support has meant to him.

“I simply do not have enough space in this caption for the amount of nice adjectives I would use to describe @maryfowlerrr but this woman is the absolute best 🌟 !!!”

He then revealed just how far Fowler had travelled to support him.

“I can’t thank you enough for flying to the other side of the world to look after me and be by my side during this past week of recovery. I’m a very lucky man & so so grateful ❤️‍🔥.”

The post included several candid moments between the couple, including Fowler sitting beside Cleary on the couch, massaging his legs and bringing him coffee as he recovered.

Mary Fowler’s recent absence takes on new meaning

Fowler, who plays club football for Manchester City in England, had recently withdrawn from the Matildas squad for two international friendlies.

At the time, her absence was explained only as being due to “personal circumstances”.

Cleary’s message now appears to offer a clearer picture of what may have been happening behind the scenes, with Fowler travelling back to Australia during a difficult period in his recovery.

For a couple whose relationship has largely been shaped by long distance, the gesture has added an especially personal note to the story.

Cleary continues recovery after two surgeries

Cleary is recovering from a compound fracture in his left leg as well as a broken bone in his right foot.

Those injuries required two rounds of surgery and have left the NRL star facing an extended recovery period.

Despite that setback, his latest post focused less on his injuries and more on the person who had remained beside him throughout the week.

It was also not the first time Fowler had been publicly acknowledged during this difficult stretch.

When Cleary accepted the Dally M Medal last month from home, he also made a point of thanking her for her support.

Their relationship has often played out across two countries

Cleary and Fowler first met at an Adidas event in 2023.

Reports of a possible romance followed, but the pair initially kept their relationship largely private.

In January 2024, Cleary made the relationship Instagram official by sharing a photo of himself with Fowler.

Since then, they have appeared regularly on each other’s social media and have supported one another at major sporting moments.

Their careers, however, have kept them on opposite sides of the world for long periods.

Fowler is based in the UK with Manchester City, while Cleary remains in Australia with the Penrith Panthers.

Despite their increasingly public appearances together, both have generally remained reserved when discussing their relationship in detail.

One comment quickly became the talking point

While Cleary’s message drew plenty of warm reactions, one comment soon stood out.

The NRL Roast account jokingly wrote:

“Hurry up and put one of those 4 rings on her finger mate.”

The remark was a playful reference to Cleary’s four NRL premiership rings — while also hinting at a very different kind of ring.

The comment quickly attracted more than 1,500 likes, with fans clearly enjoying the suggestion.

Among the other responses, Panthers teammate Brian To’o wrote:

“Love wins again & again 🥺”

Another follower joked:

“She’s a keeper, I mean striker but you know what I mean keeper.”

A quiet gesture that said more than expected

What began as an update on Cleary’s recovery has now become one of the couple’s more personal public moments.

Fowler’s recent Matildas absence had initially left plenty of unanswered questions, but Cleary’s words appear to have filled in part of that missing picture.

And while the post was ultimately about gratitude and support, one light-hearted detail was enough to send fans in a very different direction — leaving plenty of intriguing questions about what might lie ahead for the couple.

Source: Instagram/@_nathancleary