Nathan Cleary Dedicates Post to Girlfriend After Her Withdrawal from Matildas Matches

NRL star Nathan Cleary posted a tribute to his girlfriend, Matildas player Mary Fowler, following her withdrawal from two friendly matches against Germany and Haiti. The reason for her absence was described as 'personal' by Fowler.

Fowler was later confirmed to have returned to Sydney to care for Cleary, who had undergone surgery for a compound fracture and dislocation of his left ankle and a broken bone in his right foot.

Cle, who was in a wheelchair after his operations, expressed gratitude for Fowler's support during his recovery. He shared images and videos of her caring for him on social media.

In a social media post, Cleary thanked Fowler for flying to 'the other side of the world' to look after him. He described her as 'the absolute best' and expressed his gratitude for her presence during his recovery.

Fowler responded to the post, calling Cleary a 'BIG cutie patootie' and expressing her own gratitude for the time they spent together. She described herself as 'a very lucky girl.'

Fellow player Hayley Raso commented on the situation, calling Fowler's decision to leave the squad 'sad' but understandable, given the importance of the matches ahead of the World Cup.