A reported record salary and the prospect of living closer to Nathan Cleary were not enough to convince Mary Fowler to return to Australia.
The Matildas star is staying with Manchester City after a reported $1million offer was made as part of an ambitious attempt to bring Australian sport’s most high-profile couple to clubs operating under the same ownership group.
The proposed deal could have eased the strain of a long-distance relationship that has kept the pair pursuing their careers on opposite sides of the world.
For struggling NRL club Wests Tigers, it represented an extraordinary effort to lure one of rugby league’s biggest stars away from Penrith.
According to News Corp, Tigers owner Holman Barnes Group put forward a combined package worth $9million, including a $1million marquee contract for Fowler to join the Central Coast Mariners women’s team.
The group had taken control of the Mariners’ women’s side, creating the opportunity for a cross-code recruitment pitch involving both Fowler and Cleary.
Mary Fowler has remained at Manchester City despite a reported $1million offer to return to Australian football
The proposed deal would have seen Fowler join the Central Coast Mariners and Cleary move to Wests Tigers
Fowler returned to Australia in October to support Cleary after he underwent two operations
Under the reported arrangement, Cleary would have switched to the Tigers while Fowler returned to New South Wales on what would have been the biggest contract in A-League Women history.
Ultimately, the proposed blockbuster reunion failed to happen.
Fowler, 23, is under contract with Manchester City until 2028, so any move would also have depended on the English club agreeing to release her.
Her influence extends well beyond the football field. News Corp has reported that her multi-year Adidas partnership is worth $10million.
Fowler’s other commercial commitments include her role as a L’Oréal Paris ambassador and Chobani’s national ‘Game Changer’ campaign.
The couple’s long-distance relationship came under the spotlight again in October when Fowler travelled to Australia to support Cleary during his recovery from two operations.
She subsequently missed Matildas friendlies against Germany and Haiti for personal reasons, leading to questions about her unexpected absence.
Football Australia said the decision had been made after discussions involving Fowler, Manchester City and Matildas staff.
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Fowler’s commercial appeal reaches far beyond football, with her multi-year Adidas deal reportedly worth $10million
Fowler became L’Oréal Paris’s first female athlete ambassador in Australia and New Zealand in 2024, adding a major beauty partnership to her expanding profile
Fowler leads Chobani’s national ‘Game Changer’ campaign, appearing on billboards, public transport and digital platforms as the brand launches its high-protein drinks
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Matildas teammate Hayley Raso said Fowler’s absence had come as a surprise to her.
‘I haven’t spoken to Mary. I only just found out the news myself,’ Raso said.
‘Obviously, Mary’s a really valuable player for our team, so it’s sad that she’s not here at this camp, but obviously, she has to take care of some personal circumstances.’
Cleary fractured his fibula and dislocated his ankle during Penrith’s preliminary final defeat by Newcastle, an injury in which the bone broke through the skin.
He also suffered a fracture in his opposite foot.
Panthers chairman Greg Alexander later said the damage, although confronting, could have been even more severe.
‘The tibia didn’t break, no fracture in the tibia, which was fantastic news,’ Alexander told SEN.
‘In terms of the horrific injury that Nathan suffered, it was as good as could be expected without the double fracture.’
Cleary has since reportedly rejected another lucrative offer to remain with Penrith, where he has won four consecutive premierships.
According to News Corp, NRL expansion club the PNG Chiefs offered a package worth up to $8.4million over three years.
The proposal reportedly included $6million in tax-free playing payments, along with the potential for $2.4million through third-party endorsements.
Nine reported that Cleary told the Chiefs he planned to stay at Penrith, where he was expected to sign a two-year extension keeping him at the club until the end of 2029.