The Penrith Panthers halfback couldn’t escape the question ahead of the grand final.
Nathan Cleary will be looking to make NRL history this weekend with a fourth straight premiership for the Panthers in the grand final, but he will be doing it without partner and Matildas superstar Mary Fowler at the stadium. Cleary fronted the media on Tuesday evening as he looked to quell doubts surrounding his troublesome shoulder that sent shockwaves through the Panthers camp after the Sharks win.
Cleary can use all the help possible leading into the grand final with Storm legend Billy Slater questioning the severity of his injury ahead of the big game. However, Cleary has admitted partner and Matildas icon Fowler won’t be in attendance to cheer him on.
Fowler is currently playing for Manchester City in England as the Women’s Super League got underway two weeks ago. City are set to play West Ham this weekend and Fowler will be sure to feature at some point. While Fowler hasn’t started either of her first two games of the season, she has made an appearance from the bench in both.
And when asked if Fowler would be making the trip home to see him play in his fourth straight grand final, Cleary could only crack a smile. “She is not coming. Her season just started over in England. I think she will be watching, but she won’t be there,” he said to reporters.
Fowler’s game will take place – in England – only three hours after the NRL grand final will kick-off in Sydney. The Man City star could miss a large portion of the grand final with her own pre-game warm-up required.
The duo have been dating since the end of last year and have spent plenty of time together in 2024, despite their seasons overlapping. Fowler spent time back in Australia during City’s off-season, which also coincided with Cleary sitting out with injury – due to his hamstring – for 10 rounds of the season.
Cleary has one more NRL game before he starts his off season as the Panthers halfback looks to go up against Dally M favourite Jahrome Hughes in this year’s NRL grand final. And Cleary will be hoping he can get replicate some of his 2023 grand final magic against the Storm this weekend, which would elevate him further in the argument of where he stands among the game’s all-time elite players.
Nathan Cleary quells fears over shoulder injury
In the 71st minute against the Panthers’ win over the Sharks, Cleary emerged from a tackle and clutched at his shoulder. With the result all but secured, Cleary took an early rest. Cleary was instrumental in the Sharks game having provided two try assists and a 40/20.
And the Panthers halfback appeared to dismiss any suggestion of an injury and rotated his arm to dispel any worries from fans. “It’s all good, it was just a bit of a knock,” he said. “It was always going to be one of things where I wasn’t at 100 per cent.
“I definitely felt confident to go back out on the field and play … I wasn’t even thinking about it. Even after that little incident, I played the next two sets and was sweet.”
However, Maroons coach and Storm legend Slater has questioned whether the Panthers star is playing down the injury to fool his rivals. The Storm have already suggested they won’t overly target Cleary this weekend with team’s using the tactic in the NRL finals series coming up short.
And Slater was in awe of Cleary’s toughness in that Roosters game. “You don’t clutch at it unless you feel it,” Slater told Channel Nine’s The Billy Slater Podcast. “I admire Nathan’s toughness. It’s one thing we don’t speak about a whole heap with Nathan Cleary… this is not something new to Nathan.”
“It’s whether that shoulder holds up, that’s the biggest thing. I’ve played with shoulder injuries in the past and had to get surgery at the end of the year… they are not comfortable to play with,” Slater added. If he says he is OK, that’s a surface comment. He knows that he’s carrying it. I’m sure he will feel he’ll be OK but it’s certainly a question mark. It’s not ideal, but he’s been carrying it all year.”
