Nathan Cleary opens up about the car chase that marked the start of his romance with Mary Fowler – as he finally addresses extraordinary rumour about their relationship

Nathan Cleary has given his fans an eye-opening account of the start of his romance with Matildas star Mary Fowler – and finally addressed stunning speculation about how their relationship became public.

Widely regarded as the best player in the NRL, the 26-year-old has also opened up for the first time about the moment he got into a ‘car chase’ shortly after Daily Mail’s exclusive photos made their relationship public for the first time.

Our pictures showed the couple sharing a tender moment in a Perth park last November after Cleary made the journey from Sydney to see Fowler play for the Matildas – and from that moment on, everything changed for them both.

‘Whenever I was with her it just felt like we were two normal people … and then all of a sudden people were taking photos of us, and then they were being published, and then there were articles, then there was people waiting out the front of my house,’ Cleary told the Marlee and Me podcast.

The couple have largely brushed off the attention while their relationship grew, but one episode – which is not connected to any of Daily Mail Australia’s stories about them – stands out for the Penrith Panthers halfback.

‘One day I was driving and I realised this ca was following me,’ he said.

‘Then I took a few turns, took a few turns, they took the exact same turns. I was pretty much in a car chase.

‘That was, like, mind-blowing to me. I understand it, I guess, because people care [about the romance].

The NRL star’s shirtless pics kicked off speculation that he set up the photo opportunity – a rumour he has finally addressed almost a year later

‘It all happened so quick, and now her relationship was in the public eye, it was hard to wrap your head around.’

Cleary also opened up about rumours that he staged the photos of him and Fowler cuddling in Perth, with the fact he was shirtless at the time fuelling speculation that he tipped off the photographer.

‘I swear to god I had no idea,’ he said.

‘Leading up to that, we were probably pretty blasé about how much people actually cared. 

‘After the park we went back to the car and then we saw someone with the big camera there, and pretty much a couple of hours later it all came out.’

And while he’s one of the most recognisable and popular athletes in Australia, the three-time premiership winner admitted Aussies sometimes ignore him in favour of Mary when they want a photo.

‘Sometimes I get brushed. [Fans say] “Oh, not you”.’ 

Since the Perth photos brought their relationship out into the open, the superstar athletes have shared plenty of loved-up photos as their love went Instagram official

Cleary also lifted the lid on the paparazzi ‘car chase’ he got involved in as interest in his relationship with the Matildas and Manchester City star reached fever pitch 

The pair first attracted attention as a potential couple when they were seen together on a leisurely walk along the Nepean River in Penrith in Sydney’s west last year. 

They were then seen sharing an ice cream following a promotional event hosted by Adidas, a brand both endorse. 

Since those Perth photos were taken the couple have shared many loved-up photos on social media, with Fowler catching up with Cleary whenever she’s been able to come back to Australia to either enjoy some down time from her work with Manchester City, or honour her playing and training commitments with the Matildas.

Last week rumours surfaced connecting Cleary to a possible move to play in England’s Super League competition in order to be closer to his partner.

According to what’s been described as outlandish speculation, the Panthers playmaker is looking at taking a year away from the NRL in a move that would send shockwaves through Australian footy.

However, that seems unlikely, with Panthers boss Brian Fletcher and Cleary’s manager George Mimis stressing that the idea has never been brought up with them.