Panthers’ Nathan Cleary won’t be playing in England ‘any time soon’

Nathan Cleary on the charge for the Panthers as they secured a fourth consecutive grand final victory. Photo / Photosport

Nathan Cleary won’t be joining an English rugby league club “any time soon”, the Penrith superstar has told British TV.

Penrith ace Nathan Cleary has gone public in rejecting rumours he might be on his way to joining an English Super League club to be nearer to his soccer star girlfriend Mary Fowler, saying it won’t happen ‘”any time soon”.

Cleary, in Manchester to attend the Super League grand final over the weekend less than a week after his own NRL title victory with the Panthers, turned up at Old Trafford in a Hull Kingston Rovers jersey, supporting the underdogs in their clash with Wigan.

He watched the final alongside Fowler but broke off to give a halftime interview with Sky Sports TV, where he admitted he had heard all the rumours he might be moving to a British club so he could be closer to the Manchester City star.

Asked if he could be a Super League player, Cleary responded with a smile: “Not any time soon, to be honest.”

“I see all the rumours, but I’ve come over here to see her [Fowler] play, which is nice, and have a break – but won’t be moving over here any time soon.”

Cleary said he was wearing his Hull KR shirt to show his support for his old Panthers colleague and pal Tyrone May, who joined the Yorkshire club from Catalans Dragons this season.

“I’m just here supporting my best mate, Tyrone May,” he said.

“It’s been great, a couple of big days [of celebration after Penrith’s fourth straight title win]. It honestly feels surreal still, so [I’m] very grateful for what we’ve been able to do, and [to] now get some downtime to just enjoy and relax.”

Alas, his support for Hull KR didn’t help them overcome the unlikely odds as they succumbed 9-2 to a Bevan French-inspired Wigan.

Overnight, Fowler was due to be back to work with City playing a Women’s Super League match at Liverpool, with Cleary doubtless cheering her on at Anfield.

Cleary’s Panthers became the first team to bag four consecutive titles in almost 60 years following the great St George side winning the last of their 11 straight titles in 1966. The biggest winning run was secured by South Sydney, who won five straight titles between 1925 and 1929.