Detail in photos of Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler spark serious questions

Photos of Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler frolicking in the park set the internet ablaze, but one detail has sparked serious questions.

The photos of Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler going public with their relationship set the internet ablaze.

The three-time NRL champion and Matildas superstar went public with their fledgling romance after being pictured in loved up scenes in Perth.

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The Daily Mail reported that Fowler had left the team hotel on Wednesday morning, grabbing a coffee before meeting up with Cleary.

Cleary took his shirt off as the pair cuddled, chatted, laughed and even drank from the same water bottle.

The pair also held hands and had a brief chat before Cleary left in a black SUV and Fowler returned on foot to the team hotel.

But now one detail from the photo has been thrust back into the spotlight with serious questions being asked.

Cleary caught red-handed? NRL hero spotted cheering on Fowler

Cleary delivered a performance for the ages when he almost single-handedly steered Penrith to a thrilling 26-24 comeback over the Broncos to claim a historic premiership three-peat.

The injury occurred in the opening moments of the contest, but questions are being asked as to the severity of the injury after Cleary was spotted in a knee brace four weeks on from the contest.

Cleary removed himself from contention to play for the Kangaroos team for the Pacific Championships while the Panthers downplayed the injury as nothing too serious.

But the questions came flooding in when Brien Seeney, who runs the ‘NRL Physio’ social media accounts and ‘Magic Sponge’ podcast, pointed out he was still in the brace more than a month on from the contest.

“You’re looking at a moderate to high grade PCL injury, for him to do what he did, in particularly in the last half an hour, but just to play out the whole game with that injury and to perform like he did,” Seeney said.

“He would have had to have gone in at half time with that injury and cooled down – and that’s when it’s going to be really painful, it’s going to swell up a little bit. Then he’s going to have to go out there. (Isaah) Yeo’s off, (Jarome) Luai’s off, all these things that we know.

“But to do all that with whatever this injury is, and it sounds like a moderate to high grade PCL injury, is just … it probably won’t get the fanfare that a broken face from Sam Burgess or a fractured shoulder blade form Cooper Cronk did. But I think it’s a bit under-appreciated.”

Nathan Cleary is still in a knee brace over 4 weeks after suffering a knee injury 10 minutes into the NRL GF. That’s the most newsworthy info from this photo, right? pic.twitter.com/ideEsLReW6

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) November 1, 2023

In August, Cleary and Fowler were reportedly spotted enjoying an ice cream and went for a walk together after attending a promotional event for Adidas, a sponsor they both share.

However, Cleary said he was “annoyed” when the speculation began that the 25-year-old NRL star and 20-year-old football gun were the nation’s newest sporting power couple.

“It is what is, it’s a little bit annoying to not have a private life but I like to not talk about it too much and keep anything I can private,” he said at the time.

“Things take off pretty quick with social media but I’ll try to keep a private life if I can.”

But his teammates may not have got the memo with Jarome Luai spilling the beans on the relationship on the eve of the NRL Grand Final.

Australia’s new sporting power couple.

“Yeah, we’re into them, definitely,” Luai told the Kyle and Jackie O Show.

“He was a bit shy about it, that’s all,” he said referring to Cleary’s refusal to speak about the romance rumours.

“I’ve been trying to get some information out of him.

“I wanna see my bro happy, he’s on the lookout for some love. Yeah, but we’ll see how they go.”

The rumour mill kept turning earlier in the week when Cleary was spotted in the crowd at the Matildas’ 8-0 win over the Philippines in Perth on Sunday and he was in the crowd last night when Fowler scored an incredible goal in the win 3-0 against Chinese Taipei.

While they still haven’t spoken publicly, a loved up display in a public park says a thousand words.