2024 Valentine’s Day window opens for Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler in England

Packed playing schedules and 17,000km of distance will test the budding romance between Mary Fowler and Nathan Cleary, with the pair set for a two-week cross-over in England.

Australia’s hottest sporting couple will need to keep their budding long-distance romance alive by navigating the 17,000km between them and their packed professional schedules.

But their next window for a park date could include a Valentine's Day flight for Heathrow.

Penrith star captain Nathan Cleary took advantage of the NRL’s off-season window to watch Mary Fowler play for the Matildas in Perth this week, in between which they went public with their relationship as they were photographed in each other’s arms in a park in the city.

“He’s 25-years old, at the point in his life where he might want a relationship so congratulations to him,” Penrith chief executive Matt Cameron said.

“None of us here have met Mary, but he’s 25 and he’s entitled to have a private life like the rest of us. Everyone deserves to have a social life.”

But the pair may have to settle for being social on media, with their conflicting timetables giving them as little as two more opportunities to see each other in person over the next six months.

Fowler is due to fly back to England on Thursday, where she plays for Manchester City in the Barclay’s Women’s Super League. Her team has at least 21 fixtures between now and when their season finishes on May 18.

Nathan Cleary was in the stands for the Matildas’ game against Chinese Taipei. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Meanwhile, three-time NRL champion Cleary is due to return to training on December 8 ahead of the 2024 season, which kicks off in the first week of March.

Fowler’s season pauses for a month over the Christmas period, giving the 20-year-old time to return home to see Cleary, who has just two weeks off for the holidays.

The star pair may then have a small window to reunite when the Panthers fly to England for their World Club Challenge match against UK Super League champions, Wigan Warriors.

The clash is tentatively pencilled in for February 24, but is yet to be confirmed.

However Fowler is unlikely to be in the stands to cheer on the Penrith halfback as the Matildas are due back in Australia for Olympic qualifying matches.

Penrith are expected to depart Sydney on February 15, with Fowler’s Manchester City set to meet Chelsea and Sam Kerr in London on February 19.

“Yeah, she’s based over in Manchester but we’ve got to get there first (England). We’re in the throes of that at the moment with the NRL and Wigan,” Cameron said.

Cleary was in the crowd as Fowler scored a brilliant goal in Australia’s 3-0 win in their Olympic qualifying match against Chinese Taipei.

Fowler broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute when she unleashed a sensational strike from the edge of the box that cannoned into the top right corner.

Fowler will return to England, where she plays for Manchester City. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Broadcaster Channel 10’s cameras panned to none other than Cleary, who was watching on in the crowd at Perth’s HBF Stadium, still wearing a knee brace as a result of an injury he suffered in Penrith’s grand final win over Brisbane last month.

The result means the Aussies finish on top of Group A in the Asian confederation’s qualifying for next year’s Paris Olympics.

They are set to avoid World No.8 Japan and will take on Uzbekistan in a two-legged playoff in February in a bid to book their place in the Olympics.

There was no shortage of cutaway shots of Cleary in the crowd, and there was a sweet moment before the start of the second half when Fowler saw the Panthers star on the big screen and beamed as she laughed with teammates.

She will now return to England to continue her Super League season with Manchester City, who are equal top on the table with Sam Kerr’s Chelsea after four games.

CROWDED SCHEDULE

November 4-December 17: Fowler plays for Manchester City in the WSL

December 2, 6: Matildas to play two-game friendly series against Canada in Canada

December 8: Cleary returns for pre-season training

December 18-January 20: Fowler’s festive break

December 22-January 5: Cleary’s festive break

January 20-May 18: Fowler’s season continues

February 15: Panthers depart Sydney for England

February 19: Fowler plays for Manchester City against Chelsea

February 24: Cleary’s World Club Challenge match in England*

February 24 and 28: Fowler back in Australia for Olympic qualifiers

May 18: Fowler’s season ends

July 26-August 11: Matildas at the Olympics

October: Cleary’s NRL season ends, Fowler’s 2024 WSL season starts

*Tentative plans for the World Club Challenge

Originally published as 2024 Valentine’s Day window opens for Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler in England