Nathan Cleary may be the NRL’s most valuable player, but the biggest move of his career might not come from a rival club or a code switch – it could come from within his own family.
Josh Stuart, Cleary’s uncle and a former North Sydney Bears forward, has revealed a bold plan to lure the Penrith halfback to the new Perth Bears franchise.
With family ties, timing, and even love on his side, Stuart believes Western Australia might hold the key to Nathan Cleary’s future.
‘Hundred per cent we want him, who wouldn’t want him? He’s the best player in the game,’ Stuart told News Corp.
Stuart played 29 first-grade games alongside Ivan Cleary, Nathan’s father, during the late 1990s.
As a proud former Bear, Stuart has been instrumental in rallying support for the Perth Bears’ NRL bid – and now he’s openly campaigning to build a club that could land the game’s biggest name.
Mary Fowler and Cleary’s long-distance relationship has sparked speculation about a future move away from Penrith
Ivan Cleary confirmed Nathan is contracted at Penrith for two more years amid swirling rumours
Josh Stuart believes his close relationship with Cleary could help bring him to the Perth Bears
The 52-year-old is also a mortgage broker, and through his business and family connections, he speaks with Nathan regularly.
‘Nathan bounces a fair few things off me just in life in general. I’m a mortgage broker by trade, so I do his home and a few of the boys out there, so we talk a fair bit,’ Stuart said.
But one conversation, in particular, stood out.
‘It blew me away. It would have been six or eight months into them dating, he said, ‘Uncle Josh, when did you know you were in the right relationship to get married?’ I knew we had something serious here,’ Stuart revealed.
That ‘something serious’ is Nathan’s relationship with Matildas star Mary Fowler.
The high-profile sporting couple met at an Adidas event in 2023 and quickly developed a deep personal connection.
Fowler later said their early exchanges were ‘paragraph messages just about the way that we think about life’.
Since then, the pair have managed a long-distance relationship, with Fowler playing for Manchester City in the UK and Cleary leading the Penrith Panthers in Sydney.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary is also in the crosshairs of the Perth Bears, after playing 29 games for North Sydney early in his career
Fowler is based in Manchester, making Perth a more practical option for travel than Sydney
In April 2024, they confirmed their relationship publicly, sharing moments on Instagram that delighted fans and sparked speculation about Cleary’s future.
Stuart sees Perth as the ideal middle ground for both love and legacy.
‘Is Western Australia a lot closer to England than Sydney?’ he said, noting that a Perth-to-London flight cuts about seven hours compared to Sydney.
For a couple trying to balance elite sport and a relationship across continents, those hours matter. And for Stuart, so does the opportunity to build something historic in WA.
At a recent Beer, Footy and Food Festival held at North Sydney Oval, Stuart shared fond memories with fans of the foundation club, now reborn as a national bid.
But it’s the future he’s focused on – specifically, the Cleary family’s role in it.
‘Nathan would be unreal. His old man being the coach would be even better,’ Stuart said.
‘I’m playing golf with Ivan this Wednesday, so I’ll have a chat.’
Cleary insists he’s focused on Penrith but says he and Fowler are ‘making it work.’
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has already responded to rising speculation that his son could leave the NRL to follow Fowler to England or even switch codes.
Tim Horan recently floated the idea on Rugby Heaven, suggesting Nathan could wear the No.10 jersey in rugby union.
Ivan addressed the talk ahead of Penrith’s match against the Wests Tigers.
‘Nathan’s here for another two years, so that’s where he’s going to be,’ he told reporters.
‘Nath’s a pretty open-minded kid but that’s down the track maybe, who knows?’
The veteran coach also dismissed the pressure of media attention.
‘He doesn’t read too much media, so I don’t think he’d be too fussed,’ he said.
Asked about a move to rugby, he replied with a smile: ‘I’m sure he could play OK. I don’t think he’s ever played [rugby union].
‘He’d just have to avoid all the rucks, just kick and goal kick and he’d go all right.’
While Penrith remain confident they’ll retain their superstar, the long-distance element of Cleary’s relationship has kept speculation alive.
Fowler, one of Australia’s most marketable athletes, is based in the UK for the foreseeable future – and the idea of relocating to Perth to be closer is gaining traction.
‘We’re making it work,’ Cleary said earlier this year.
Stuart believes adding Nathan Cleary would immediately legitimise the franchise – and he’s not afraid to say so.
‘Nathan is the kind of player that makes a team real. You don’t just start a club. You build a legacy – and what better way than with the Clearys in red and black again?’ he said.
