Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler's fans are no doubt wondering how they'll keep their romance going once she returns to England to play for Manchester City this week - but the NRL star might have already answered their questions in a very revealing statement. The sports power couple went public with their relationship on Wednesday in a series of stunning photos exclusively captured by Daily Mail Australia. Those images came after speculation they were a couple started in August, when they were seen walking along Sydney's Nepean River and enjoying an ice cream together. That same month, Cleary referenced the Matildas when he was asked about making a huge career switch that would pave the way for him to join her in the UK as her career goes from strength to strength. Photos taken exclusively for Daily Mail Australia showed Cleary and Fowler going public with their romance in some tender moments at a park in Perth on Wednesday Now their fans will be wondering how the couple will keep their relationship going as Fowler leaves her boyfriend 17,000km away to play soccer in England - but Cleary might have already answered that question Rugby Australia were pushing to get some of the NRL's biggest stars to defect at the time, having snared the signature of Roosters sensation Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii - and Cleary gave a very telling answer when he was asked about making the switch himself. One of the biggest lures rugby union has for NRL players is the chance to compete in the code's World Cup and play for a truly global audience - a fact that's not lost on the Penrith halfback. 'The Matildas, what they've been able to do - you can't do that in rugby league,' Cleary said. 'I think that's the exciting part of union, it is on that global stage. 'If you were to do it for Australia, it would be such a big thing because Australia has sort of neglected union for a while now and it hasn't been a massive thing. 'I think that part of it is an exciting prospect,' he told the Sporting News. While the governing body would want Cleary to play for an Australian Super Rugby side if he defected, he would attract huge interest from teams in the UK if he became available. Fowler plays for English giants Manchester City (pictured) - and coming back to Australia to play for a local team would be a huge backwards step for her On the other hand, Cleary (pictured during the Panthers' 2023 grand final win) could earn more money and further his career by switching to rugby union and joining her in the UK While most of the NRL players who have switched codes play in the backs, Cleary is a generational talent at halfback who could make it in the UK's top union competition, the Gallagher Premiership. Getting a start with an English club wouldn't just bring him closer to Fowler, either - it would also be financially lucrative. The competition's best-paid player, Charles Piutau of the Bristol Bears, earns $1.9million a season. Even a relative novice to the game, former NRL star Semi Radradra, takes home just over $1million a year with the Bristol Bears. Former South Sydney star Sam Burgess made headlines in both countries when he switched codes and played for Bath in England's top-flight competition in an attempt to play for his home country in the 2015 World Cup. Rugby Australia has already convinced Roosters NRL star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to switch codes and would fall over itself to get Cleary into the Wallabies line-up Former NRL star Sam Burgess made the switch to England's top rugby union competition in 2014 after leading Souths to grand final glory - and now that Cleary has won three premierships in a row and has talked about playing union, he could do the same The Wallabies halves have been a weak spot for the team for some time and that was the case at the recent World Cup in France, where the team suffered their worst ever result in the tournament as they were bundled out in the group stage. Rugby Australia would be desperate to have a player of Cleary's skill at scrum or fly half with the country hosting the World Cup in 2027 - with the event being used as a major lure to convince NRL stars like Suaalii to make the switch. The Panthers lynchpin is tied to the club until the end of 2027, but contracts in the NRL have been proven to be easy to break if the player is prepared to make financial sacrifices. On top of that, the 25-year-old has conquered every mountain the NRL has to offer, winning three straight premierships and playing for NSW and Australia. Cleary and Fowler's high-profile long-distance situation is bringing back memories of rugby league star Solomon Haumono's whirlwind relationship with UK model Gabrielle Richens in the 1990s, which saw the league player take drastic action to keep the romance going. The situation is bringing back memories of the headline-grabbing romance between Solomon Haumono and UK model Gabrielle Richens (pictured together) in the 1990s Richens rose to fame in Australia after playing a stripper in a controversial Virgin commercial that saw her given the nickname 'The Pleasure Machine'. Haumono made headlines around the world when he walked out on rugby league to be with her on the other side of the world. In 1998, Haumono - who was then a contracted player with the Canterbury Bulldogs - jetted from Australia to the UK to be with her without telling his family or club, only to end up back in Sydney playing for Balmain the next year. Cleary wouldn't pack up and leave in the same fashion - but he'd be far better placed to make a life for himself in England and stamp himself as a cross-code great at the same time.
