Nathan Cleary has cemented his place in the Matildas family, with a photo emerging on social media showing him holding the daughter of Mary Fowler’s teammate Katrina Gorry. Cleary has returned home to Sydney and will undergo shoulder surgery, after a trip to the UK and Europe to visit his girlfriend Fowler.

The Penrith Panthers star was supposed to have surgery immediately after the NRL grand finale, but he was given an opportunity to travel abroad because his surgeon was on vacation. He took the opportunity to spend some quality time with Fowlerwho plays for Manchester City in the English Women’s Super League.

And a photo posted by Gorry on the Instagram page dedicated to his children shows that Cleary was present at the Matildas’ last game in Germany. Among a handful of photos updated in recent weeks is one of Cleary holding Gorry’s daughter Harper after the game.

The photo immediately sent Matildas fans into a frenzy, with many saying it shows he has built a relationship with Fowler’s teammates and their families, and is getting very serious about his girlfriend. One fan wrote: “I love that Nathan is also there with Harper and the Tillies family. Harper looks so happy.”

Another commented: “It’s good that Nathan is getting involved with the Tillies family. He needs the family to tick him off before he gets serious with Fowler. Looks like he’s on the right track.”

Will Nathan Cleary move to England to be with Mary Fowler?

Cleary’s budding relationship with Fowler has sparked persistent rumors who could be considering moving to the English Super League to be closer to it. As things currently stand, Fowler spends much of the year in the UK due to his commitments to Manchester City.

Fowler is at the beginning of her career and is becoming one of the best players in women’s football, so her future is in the top leagues in England or Europe. Cleary has won four consecutive NRL premierships with the Panthers, and is more likely to move to England than Fowler is to return to Australia.

Cleary was present at the Super League grand final between Wigan and Hull earlier this month and was asked about the speculation. Sky Sports presenter Jenna Brooks asked: “There have been persistent rumors and they just aren’t going to go away that we might see you playing in the Super League in the not too distant future, given that Mary Fowler, your beautiful girlfriend, is playing . here for Manchester City. So when can we see you in the Super League, maybe at Hull KR?”

However, Cleary emphatically put an end to speculation, saying he was not interested in leaving the NRL “any time soon”. He added: “I’ve seen all the rumors. But I’ll come here and watch her (Mary) play, which is nice and I’ll take a break. But I’m not moving here anytime soon.”

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That came later Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher faced backlash from the football community for suggesting Fowler would return to Australia before Cleary moved to England. But then he responded by saying, “It was joyous. We have Nathan and Ivan signed up until the end of the 27th and it’s our job, or my job, to try to extend that as long as we can.” Keep them both at the foot of the mountains until their rugby league days are over. It would take a lot of speculation if she (Fowler) returned home, but that’s between her and Nathan and we don’t interfere. in those matters.”