Mary Fowler has withdrawn from Australia’s upcoming friendlies, leaving senior officials frustrated by the communication process as she returns to support partner Nathan Cleary.
When the 6:30 a.m. AEDT press release arrived on Tuesday, most of the Matildas leadership team were just waking up. For many within Football Australia. the news that Mary Fowler was withdrawing from the upcoming international camp was as sudden as it was disruptive. While official statements cited “personal circumstances” following discussions between Fowler. Manchester City. and national staff. the lack of prior notice left several senior figures feeling blindsided and. by some accounts. visibly unimpressed.
The timing of her departure—immediately after her 100th appearance for Manchester City in a 4-2 win over Arsenal—only deepened the confusion. By the time teammates were discussing the roster vacancy, reports confirmed Fowler had already returned to Australia. On Tuesday evening. she was spotted at the Penrith Panthers’ presentation night. confirming the shift from the pitch to a private role alongside her partner. Nathan Cleary.
Cleary is currently navigating a grueling recovery. The halfback sustained a fractured left fibula and a dislocated ankle during a September 27 tackle by Newcastle’s Phoenix Crossland. requiring emergency surgery. A subsequent operation was performed to address a long-standing stress fracture in his right foot. While the initial alarm regarding the state of his tibia was later clarified to be inaccurate. the physical toll of two surgeries has left him facing a lengthy rehabilitation process.
This is not the first time Fowler has prioritized her well-being over the national calendar; in November 2024. she skipped fixtures against Brazil and Chinese Taipei. noting then that she needed to recharge both mind and body. This latest absence, however, hits a particularly sensitive nerve for coach Joe Montemurro. With the World Cup on the horizon, every minute of preparation is scrutinized. Hayley Raso. speaking to the press on Tuesday. acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation. admitting she had not spoken to Fowler and only learned of the withdrawal alongside the public.
“Obviously, Mary’s a really valuable player for our team, so it’s sad that she’s not here,” Raso said. “There’s not that many camps or matches before the World Cup, so every one is so important.”
The tension is rooted in the gap between the professional expectations of an international squad and the personal realities of the athletes. While supporters have rallied around the couple—echoing the gratitude Cleary expressed during his recent Dally M Medal speech. where he credited Fowler for making him feel “supported and loved”—the internal fallout at Football Australia suggests the procedural handling of this absence has created a friction that won’t dissipate before the squad faces Germany in Karlsruhe on October 10 or Haiti in Chambly. France. on October 14.
As the Matildas prepare to test themselves against a top-tier side like Germany without one of their most valuable starters. the quiet ripples of this decision remain. The federation maintains the move was a coordinated effort. but the divide between those in the boardroom and the player has never been more apparent. For now. the focus shifts to the pitch. though questions regarding the transparency of the process linger in the background of a squad trying to find its rhythm before the world stage.
Mary Fowler Matildas Nathan Cleary Football Australia Joe Montemurro Matildas squad update