Panthers’ CEO reveals plan to keep Nathan Cleary at Penrith

While he was celebrating Penrith’s fourth straight Premiership win, Panthers Chief Executive Brian Fletcher revealed the club’s plan to keep head coach Ivan Cleary and his son Nathan Cleary with Panthers for as long as possible. He says they need to bring Nathan’s girlfriend, Mary Fowler, back to Australia.

“We’ve got ‘26 and ‘27 to go”

Speaking to a crowd of celebrating fans and players at Panthers HQ on Wednesday, club CEO Brian Fletcher spoke about how it felt to win yet another Grand Final with Penrith. The top boss was quick to point out that he predicted this success last year.

“Last year on radio I said if we win in ‘23, we’ll definitely win in ‘24 and ‘25,” Fletcher said to a raucous crowd, “So don’t be afraid of next year. We’ve also got ‘26 and ‘27 to go.”

Why was Fletcher so confident about 2024 and why is he so confident about 2025. 2026, and 2027? Ivan and Nathan Cleary, that’s why.

“And why I say that is, Ivan Cleary and Nathan Cleary are signed until the end of ‘27,” Fletcher said emphatically.

Extend as long as we can

After throwing praise on the father and son duo of van Cleary and Nathan Cleary, Fletcher revealed that the club plans to keep the Cleary’s around for as long as possible.

“It’s my job and the CEO of football, Matt Cameron, to extend that (Ivan and Nathan Cleary’s contracts) as far as we can,” Fletcher explained.

“Matt’s job also is he’s got to bring Mary back to Australia,” he added.

Mary Fowler, Nathan Cleary’s girlfriend, is a star for the Matildas. She has played outside of Australia since 2020, when she left Adelaide United to join French club Montpellier.

It’s unclear what Fletcher meant exactly by bringing Mary back. At 21-years-old, she is not even entering the prime of her career. It’s very unlikely that she would leave Manchester City, her current club, to join an A-League Women’s club, given the status of the league right now.

Manchester City currently lead the WSL in England and are betting sites favourites to be league winners at the end of the year. Many soccer betting sites also have the Sky Blues as one of the top three favourites to win the Women’s Champions League.

Nathan Cleary is heading to the UK this week to spend time with Mary Fowler before he has to undergo surgery to correct a shoulder injury. If there is any chance of Fowler coming back to Australia we will likely find out soon