Ivan's telling reveal about Nathan Cleary that fuels eye-opening theory around Mary Fowler
The Panthers coach had a telling response to a direct question about his son's relationship.
Ivan Cleary has revealed son Nathan is the "happiest he's ever seen him" and stopped short of rejecting claims he put surgery on hold so he could spend more time with Mary Fowler. Nathan Cleary is in a race against time to play in the Penrith Panthers' season opener in Las Vegas in March next year, after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this month.
The rehab for the surgery is usually between 12 and 16 weeks, and the Panthers' clash with Cronulla will occur 16 weeks after Cleary's operation. The four-time premiership winner didn't have the surgery as soon as the 2024 season ended, and instead headed to Europe for a holiday with UK-based girlfriend Fowler.
The Panthers said the delay was due to the fact their preferred surgeon was on holidays, meaning the operation occurred about a month after the grand final. It gave Cleary the perfect chance to enjoy a getaway with Matildas superstar Fowler, who spends the majority of the year in England with club team Manchester City.
Could Nathan Cleary have had the surgery earlier?
However a conspiracy theory has been doing the rounds that Cleary could have flown back to Australia a little earlier for the surgery, but wanted to make the most of his time with Fowler. And who could blame him considering he's been responsible for four-straight NRL premierships for the Panthers, who can afford to be without him for one game in 2025.
Nathan's coach and father Ivan was directly asked this week if his son could have had the surgery earlier, and his response was quite telling. Ivan once again said the surgeon wasn't available, but seemed to suggest there was an element of allowing Nathan to enjoy as much down-time with Fowler as possible.
"I had to have a bit of a heart-to-heart with him," Ivan said on Triple M radio when asked by Aaron Woods if he was disappointed Nathan didn't get the surgery earlier. "The surgeon couldn't do it straight away anyway and to be honest, I've never seen him so happy, and that's important as well."
RELATED:
Calls for Ezra Mam to make immediate return to Broncos as rehab ends
Broncos demoted in shock move as Nathan Cleary call officially rejected
Will Nathan Cleary eventually move to be closer to Mary Fowler?
Cleary and Fowler have been posting happy snaps on social media over the last few days of their European getaway, showing how loved-up and happy they are. Their burgeoning romance has led to speculation Cleary could look to move to the English Super League in coming years to be closer to Fowler, who spends the majority of her time overseas.
Speaking after the Panthers' triumph in the 2024 grand final, Penrith CEO Brian Fletcher acknowledged he had a task to keep his star halfback at the club long-term. He also copped some backlash for suggesting it might be Fowler who moves back to Australia in comments that seemed to fail to recognise her stature in the women's game.
"It might be the other way around," Fletcher said. "Mary will come back here I'd say to be closer to him. That's CEO of the football department Matt Cameron's job... to bring her back here permanently."
He later hit back at the criticism he drew from the football community, saying: "It was light-hearted. We've got Nathan and Ivan signed up till the end of 2027 and it's our job – or my job – to try to extend that out as far as we can to keep them both at the foot of the mountains until their rugby league days are over. It'd take a lot of speculation out of it if she (Fowler) did come home, but that's between her and Nathan and we don't interfere in those matters."
