Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler: Social media erupts with memes about the NRL player dating Matildas star

Australians are gushing complete sport's hottest romance aft Matildas ace Mary Fowler and NRL star Nathan Cleary went nationalist pinch their caller relationship.

Daily Mail Australia exclusively published photos of nan footy champion and shot prima spending clip together - including cosying up successful a Perth parkland - arsenic nan Matildas played Olympics qualifying matches successful nan WA capital.

The Penrith Panthers skipper travelled to Perth to support Fowler and was successful nan stands arsenic she made a starring tally successful nan Matildas' triumph complete nan Philippines connected Sunday.

The romance doesn't look to beryllium a distraction for Fowler's game, pinch nan Women's World Cup hero pursuing up that capacity by scoring different spectacular opening extremity successful Wednesday night's lucifer against Chinese Taipei. 

Matildas skipper and Chelsea prima Sam Kerr then went connected to score, arsenic did Tamika Yallop, leaving nan Matildas up 3-0 and capable to play for a spot astatine nan Paris 2024 Olympics against a yet-to-be-decided Asian federation successful February adjacent year.

The Matildas are now group to return to their various clubs to play retired nan regular season, pinch immoderate heading backmost to nan A-League at location but astir jetting disconnected to their respective European teams.

Fowler is contracted pinch Manchester City successful England, and pinch nan NRL play not group to footwear disconnected until March 2 adjacent year, Cleary could beryllium disconnected connected a level pinch her.

Fans flocked to societal media to show their support for Australian sport's caller powerfulness couple, pinch galore calling nan pairing a lucifer made successful footy heaven.

'Good connected them! They look very happy,' 1 said.

'Cleary amended return attraction of our nationalist treasure,' different sports instrumentality wrote. 

'So bully to spot sports stars that find 1 another. Both bully looking and fit,' a 3rd added. 

'I dream he's prepared to unrecorded successful rainy Manchester,' warned a fourth.

Reacting to a photograph of Cleary gazing astatine Fowler arsenic she laic connected his thorax successful nan park, 1 personification wrote: 'Just want personification to look astatine maine nan measurement Nathan Cleary looks astatine Mary Fowler.'

Another joked that Fowler was 'about to put Nathan Cleary connected nan map'.

Soccer fans could not defy poking nosy at Cleary for joining nan ranks of England's glamorous WAGs.

The Betoota Advocate moreover wondered what he'd look for illustration successful a purple tuxedo for illustration nan 1 David Beckham famously wore astatine his wedding to woman Victoria.

One personification invoked nan celebrated tagline from nan Barbie movie - 'She's everything, he's conscionable Ken' - pinch nan tweet: 'She's everything, he's conscionable chin.'

Another speculated their romance was nan consequence of their shared ambassadorship pinch Adidas, tweeting: 'Honestly, afloat respect to Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler taking their Adidas sponsorships this seriously.'

Meanwhile, Fowler's devoted fanbase of teenage boys declared nan narration a large triumph because 'it confirms she's straight... we're backmost successful business.'

The Matildas were famously named the 'gayest team' astatine nan 2023 Women's World Cup with 12 retired and proud players.

Fowler and Cleary had been rumoured to beryllium romantically linked since being spotted together doubly pursuing nan Matildas' World Cup campaign.

They first attracted attraction arsenic a imaginable mates erstwhile they were seen together connected a leisurely locomotion on nan Nepean River successful Penrith successful Sydney's west.

The brace were past seen sharing an crystal pick pursuing a promotional arena hosted by Adidas, a marque some athletes endorse.

Last Sunday, Cleary was photographed pinch 2 Matildas fans extracurricular Optus Stadium conscionable earlier nan Aussies' 8-0 triumph complete nan Philippines, pinch Fowler scoring nan opening goal.

Matildas protagonist Annie Lewin moreover shared nan changeable of Cleary pinch nan caption 'silly for nan tillies', giving nan clearest denotation to that constituent that location was a romanticist relationship betwixt nan pair.

But it wasn't until Wednesday erstwhile Daily Mail Australia pictured nan pair cuddling up successful a parkland successful Perth that nan narration was confirmed.

They could beryllium seen laying together successful nan mediate of nan parkland by nan h2o - laughing, hugging, chatting, and drinking from nan aforesaid h2o bottle.

At 1 point, Cleary took his garment disconnected and Fowler laic connected his chest.

The stars appeared enamoured pinch each different arsenic they laic connected nan writer - tossing quiet h2o bottles successful nan aerial and catching them arsenic Cleary threw his limb astir Fowler and laughed.

They past held hands concisely arsenic they went backmost to Cleary's achromatic SUV, wherever nan mates had a little chat successful nan car earlier he drove distant and Fowler walked backmost to her accommodation.

Fowler declined to remark erstwhile Daily Mail Australia asked astir nan romanticist display, saying: 'Sorry, I conscionable want to get backmost to my hotel.'

A time earlier, photos showed nan mates enjoying each other's company and laughing aft grabbing a takeaway java adjacent Perth's HBF Park Stadium.

An onlooker describing their relationship arsenic 'low-key but cute'.

'There was a feline that recognised him and they shook hands and Mary laughed, past they were conscionable laughing and stepping very adjacent together,' nan passer-by said.

A relaxed Fowler was wearing a achromatic singlet, shorts and sneakers pinch her hairsbreadth tied backmost and a headdress on, while Cleary sported a ample achromatic knee brace aft being injured successful nan Penrith Panthers' NRL expansive last triumph past month.

The NRL prima besides liked a station Fowler put up connected Instagram on Monday - nan first clip he's taken that measurement connected societal media.

Fowler posted a bid of images from nan Matildas' Olympics qualification matches, which were liked by a big of teammates and chap athletes, including Cleary.

Cleary and Fowler's fans are nary uncertainty wondering really they'll support their romance going erstwhile she returns to England to play for Manchester City this week - but nan NRL prima mightiness person already answered their questions successful a very revealing statement.

Back successful August, Cleary referenced nan Matildas erstwhile he was asked astir making a immense profession move that would pave nan measurement for him to subordinate her successful nan UK arsenic her profession goes from spot to strength.

Rugby Australia were pushing to get immoderate of nan NRL's biggest stars to defect astatine nan time, having snared nan signature of Roosters sensation Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii - and Cleary gave a very telling reply erstwhile he was asked astir making nan move himself.

One of nan biggest lures rugby national has for NRL players is nan chance to compete successful nan code's World Cup and play for a genuinely world assemblage - a truth that's not mislaid connected nan Penrith halfback. 

'The Matildas, what they've been capable to do - you can't do that successful rugby league,' Cleary said.

'I deliberation that's nan breathtaking portion of union, it is connected that world stage. 

'If you were to do it for Australia, it would beryllium specified a large point because Australia has benignant of neglected national for a while now and it hasn't been a monolithic thing.

'I deliberation that portion of it is an breathtaking prospect,' he told nan Sporting News.

While nan governing assemblage would want Cleary to play for an Australian Super Rugby broadside if he defected, he would pull immense liking from teams successful nan UK if he became available.

While astir of nan NRL players who person switched codes play successful nan backs, Cleary is simply a generational talent astatine halfback who could make it successful nan UK's apical national competition, nan Gallagher Premiership.

Getting a commencement pinch an English nine wouldn't conscionable bring him person to Fowler, either - it would besides beryllium financially lucrative.

The competition's best-paid player, Charles Piutau of nan Bristol Bears, earns $1.9million a season.

Even a comparative novice to nan game, erstwhile NRL prima Semi Radradra, takes location conscionable complete $1million a twelvemonth pinch nan Bristol Bears.

Former South Sydney prima Sam Burgess made headlines successful some countries erstwhile he switched codes and played for Bath successful England's top-flight title successful an effort to play for his location state successful nan 2015 World Cup.

Cleary and Fowler's high-profile long-distance business is bringing backmost memories of rugby convention prima Solomon Haumono's whirlwind narration pinch UK model Gabrielle Richens successful nan 1990s, which saw nan convention subordinate return drastic action to support nan romance going.

Richens roseate to fame successful Australia aft playing a stripper successful a arguable Virgin commercialized that saw her fixed nan nickname 'The Pleasure Machine'.

Haumono made headlines astir nan world erstwhile he walked retired connected rugby convention to beryllium pinch her connected nan different broadside of nan world.

In 1998, Haumono - who was past a contracted subordinate pinch nan Canterbury Bulldogs - jetted from Australia to nan UK to beryllium pinch her without telling his family aliases club, only to extremity up backmost successful Sydney playing for Balmain nan adjacent year.

Cleary wouldn't battalion up and time off successful nan aforesaid manner - but he'd beryllium acold amended placed to make a life for himself successful England and stamp himself arsenic a cross-code awesome astatine nan aforesaid time.