In a heartwarming glimpse into their off-field lives, Matildas star Mary Fowler has revealed her biggest dream isn’t just about lifting trophies — it’s about love, laughter, and life on a farm with her partner, NRL champion Nathan Cleary.
Speaking candidly on the Keegan and Company podcast, the 22-year-old football sensation opened up about her hopes for a large family, adoption, and a home filled with animals — all shared with the man she loves.
“I want to have a big family,” Fowler said.
“The only dream I have at the moment is to be a mum and have heaps of kids and be in a space where they can play outside a lot.”
Describing her ideal life as one with “gardening, feeding the animals, and running wild in the mud,” Fowler dreams of a rustic, joy-filled setting where love and nature take center stage.
“I would love to have two or three kids of my own and then adopt,” she shared.
“In an ideal world I would like to adopt siblings… I really want to have a whole range of animals.”
The dream includes a Great Dane, goats, geese, a cow — maybe even a pig — though she jokes it might take some convincing for Cleary to embrace her animal ambitions.
“I’m trying to convince Nath it will be a good idea,” she said with a laugh.
But her partner seems to be right there with her in spirit. Cleary, 26, who first began dating Fowler in August 2023, spoke warmly late last year about his own hopes for a future with the Matildas star.
“It’s obviously tough that we’re both pretty stuck into our sport, but we definitely want to [start a family] in the future,” he said.
“I’d love for it to be with Mary. I just think she’d be the best mother.”
The couple, who made their relationship Instagram official in January 2024, both come from big families. Fowler is one of five siblings, while Cleary is the eldest of four. That shared upbringing seems to fuel their shared vision of a large, loving household.
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Still recovering from an ACL injury sustained with Manchester City, Fowler made another surprising admission: football, while important, doesn’t define her.
“Obviously I enjoy playing football, but I wouldn’t say it’s my passion,” she admitted.
“If I finished it tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t have any regrets.”
As she focuses on healing and reimagining life beyond the pitch, Fowler’s words paint a tender portrait of a woman grounded in her values, and a love story still unfolding — one that may someday echo with the joyful sounds of children, clucking geese, and the quiet peace of a dream come true.
