Nathan Cleary at centre of fresh bombshell after warning about move for Mary Fowler
Wallabies legend Tim Horan claims he's heard growing rumours that Nathan Cleary is "quite keen" on a switch to rugby union. It comes after concerns from Matty Johns earlier this year about losing Cleary to rugby, amid speculation his relationship with Mary Fowler could see the four-time premiership winner quit the NRL and move overseas to be closer to the Matildas star.
Fowler plays for English football giants Manchester City and spends the majority of her time in the UK and Europe. And Cleary has admitted previously that moving overseas and playing in the English Super League is something that could interest him in the future.
Johns pointed out that a move abroad would put Cleary firmly in the shop window of powerful European rugby clubs and feared it would inevitably lead to a poaching raid from the rival code. "My only fear with Nathan is him going to England puts him pretty much in the spotlight or basically he's right in the backyard of these big French rugby clubs and European rugby clubs," Johns said.
"And there would be a temptation there (to poach him). Some of them (rugby clubs) would probably look to make a bid sooner rather than later, that's the only thing that would concern me." But Wallabies legend Horan suggested the NRL should be more concerned about the threat from Australian rugby after suggesting the 27-year-old could be eyeing a code switch.
"There's been some rumours the last two months that he's quite keen," Horan said on Stan Sports' Rugby Heaven program this week. "I've heard it totally separate, he's quite keen to come to rugby." Horan's revelation came during discussions around which State of Origin stars could be targeted by Rugby Australia, after Cleary starred in the Blues' Game 1 win over the Maroons.
RELATED:
Blow for Billy Slater with Queensland player banned from Origin
Trainer at centre of Origin incident unmasked as NRL great's brother
Cleary has done just about everything in his league career, with four NRL premierships and a World Cup title amongst his extensive list of achievements. The one constant criticism of Cleary is that he hasn't dominated an Origin series, but if the Blues star can help mastermind back-to-back series wins over the Maroons this year, a switch to rugby could be a step closer.
The Panthers are last on the NRL ladder and look more like a club in transition after a series of high-profile departures off the back of their four-straight premiership successes. And Cleary might view it as the perfect time to consider a switch, ahead of Australia's home Rugby World Cup in 2027.
In order to be eligible to play for the Wallabies though, Cleary would be required by Rugby Australia to play domestically for one of the country's Super Rugby franchises. However, that would put an end to the notion of Cleary moving overseas to be closer to Fowler.
Cleary is arguably the best rugby league player in the world and a potential switch to rugby could be even more significant for Rugby Australia than former NRL star Joseph Suaalii's big-money move. Horan concedes Rugby Australia would be silly not to explore the possibility if Cleary was interested, but said the focus should still be on developing players within the 15-a-side code.
"I don't think it's the right thing for Australian rugby to do, we've got a lot of talent coming through," the two-time Rugby World Cup winner said. "But I tell you what, if Nathan Cleary says 'I'm interested in playing the game', you've got to have a coffee."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Souths make call on Blues superstar as key returns near
Latrell Mitchell will back up from State of Origin for South Sydney, with the superstar fullback a confirmed starter against the Warriors. Mitchell trained freely with Rabbitohs teammates on Saturday morning, just 60 hours after featuring in NSW's series-opening win at Suncorp Stadium. The Souths No.1 had always been keen to play straight away for the Bunnies, after flying home before the rest of the Blues on Thursday morning. But the 27-year-old's injury-affected start to 2025 had left some questions over whether he would be able to back up against the second-placed Warriors. Confirmed starter for tomorrow's clash against the Warriors ✅❤️💚MATCH PREVIEW: — South Sydney Rabbitohs 🐰 (@SSFCRABBITOHS) May 31, 2025 "He didn't have any injuries," Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said. "It's always good to have him back and playing for us. It brings a lot of confidence to everybody." Mitchell's availability is timely for a Souths side that has been the most injury-ravaged in the competition over the opening half of the season. Cody Walker and Jack Wighton are both set to return next week against Canberra, but will not recover from injuries in time to face the Warriors. Hooker Peter Mamouzelos is also still out, while mid-season recruit at dummy-half Brandon Smith is at least a month away from his ACL rupture comeback. Lock Cameron Murray is still aiming to return from an achilles injury before the end of the season, despite suffering a setback in his recovery in April. But still, Bennett can see the silver lining in South Sydney's predicament. "This week's the first time all season we've been able to pick the same team two weeks in a row," Bennett said. "That's a plus for us. It's looking a lot more healthy for everybody." Despite the injury hits, the Rabbitohs still entered round 13 in sixth spot and appear to have returned to form after losing four straight in April and May. Sunday will mark Bennett's 950th club match in in charge since joining Canberra in 1987, but this year already looms as one of the veteran coach's greatest feats. The Rabbitohs ran 16th last season, finishing only one win clear of wooden-spooners Wests Tigers before Bennett's second stint at Redfern. "They've been so consistent at not beating themselves," Warriors coach Andrew Webster said. "They are going really well. Wayne Bennett's teams don't beat themselves. High on completions, work hard, play the full 80 and we'll have to be on our toes. "It's a good challenge."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Senior Spotlight: Flathead High School senior finds purpose through adversity
May 30—Joangerli Katherine Gonzalez trekked thousands of miles immigrating from South America to the United States when she was 16. Just three years later, she is set to graduate from Flathead High School. Gonzalez's month-and-a-half-long trip across nearly a dozen countries took her through dense jungles and across roaring rivers. She had to camp in the wilderness and at one point hiked for 12 hours straight. What the arduous trip taught her, though, is that she is capable. "Even everything that happens, I just take that [as] an experience for me to grow and to understand that ... I will have difficult moments in my life, but I know that I've been through that and I'm capable. I can do it, I can try," she said. That is a value the soft-spoken, yet bubbly student from Venezuela held close during her time in Flathead High School. While she entered school as a sophomore, she acquired the credits needed to graduate in just three years. But Gonzalez made sure to let none of that time go to waste. She took upper-level courses, sang in choir, coached elementary track, aided incoming Spanish-speaking students and even helped organize a campaign to promote inclusivity for children with disabilities. "To be involved is part of who I am," Gonzalez smiled. But gaining the comfort to pursue her many accomplishments was not easy. Starting high school is terrifying for any teenager. But when Gonzalez arrived in the Flathead Valley with her family in 2022, she did not know any English. She was in a new school in a new country and taking classes in a language she didn't know. She felt isolated from her peers. While ecstatic to be in, as she described, "big" and "fancy" school, she would often leave class in tears. But Gonzalez found solace in her friendship with Kirk Johnston, the school's Spanish teacher. "He was one of the big supports for me," she said. Gonzalez described a sense of relief being around Johnston, who provided familiarity in an unfamiliar place. Gonzalez has since become that same source of comfort for Spanish-speaking students newly enrolling in Flathead High. "This is my job to make them feel good, to make them feel comfortable," she said. She recalled introducing a new Spanish student to a gym game. The student was nervous, but Gonzalez stuck with her to translate the rules. "She was a little bit shy to do it, but I was like, 'I'm running with you. I'm also shy, but I'm here.'" Gonzalez also enjoyed helping elementary girls in the Highlander Track Club open themselves to new experiences during her time as a coach. She recalled teaching the girls shotput, which many had not done before. While some were reluctant, she enjoyed watching their faces light up after taking a jab at a new sport. "I understand so much that sometimes they have so much fear to try something new," Gonzalez said. When Gonzalez arrived at Flathead, she was amazed by the opportunities and activities offered to girls that were not offered in Venezuela. "I wanted to play soccer, but out there it is just for boys. So, you're limited," she said. Her mindset: Just try the thing. And whether you like it or not, be proud that you gave it a chance. "I think it's the most important thing in life," she said. Flathead counselor Michael Sherman beamed at Gonzalez as he praised her accomplishments. "You have been a great example for anyone, little kids or high school students, adults, anybody to have the self-confidence to try new things," he said to Gonzalez. When asked about who inspired her ambition and proclivity for the unknown, she couldn't help but get emotional thinking of her father. "I'm so thankful that he [taught] me how to be strong and capable," Gonzalez said through tears. GONZALEZ WAS 11 when she left her home in Caracas, Venezuela to escape political unrest and extortion. Gonzalez, her stepmom, younger sister and father moved to Peru, but experienced xenophobia during a time when Venezuelans were migrating to the country in swaths. "My dad was just so worried for us to be at school," she said. A few years later, they left for the United States. The journey entailed days-long hikes, buses and a three-day trek through the Darién Gap, which Joangerli said was the most difficult part of the trip. The Darién Gap is a rugged stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama. While traffic through the passage has largely dwindled since President Donald Trump took office, the treacherous route saw hundreds of thousands of migrants pass through each year. Joangerli recalled hiking for 12 hours straight on the first day and spending a night away alone with her stepmom and sister after splitting from her father. It was raining, and water had flooded the tent. "I was just so scared," she said. She remembered crying out for her dad. But the next day, she heard her dad calling her from across a river, which she had to cross. The current was strong, and as she made her way across and reached out for a branch, another migrant was holding out from the riverbank. But the current swept her legs from under her. "I remember I was just calm. I don't drink any water either," she said. The current finally pushed her to the other side of the river where she met up with her family. "I think that was the most scary part for me." While such memories can be uncomfortable to rekindle, Gonzalez sees them as a part of her life. "It's still like a hard experience ... but something you can learn from," she said. After graduating, Gonzalez will study pediatrics at the University of Montana this fall. She is also excited to take a global leadership class and learn about issues people are facing around the world and how they can be helped. She is excited to immerse herself in a diverse environment with a wide array of classes to take. In a political climate that is targeting particularly Venezuelan immigrants, Gonzalez hopes that her story will show there are immigrants looking for opportunity. "We have jobs and we are worker people," she said. "Sometimes it's good to listen to people's reasons of why they left their country." "Here, you have those opportunities that you can make a better life for yourself and your family. I think that's something that most of the immigrants think about," she said. Flathead High School holds its graduation on May 30 at 7 p.m. at the school's gym, 644 Fourth Ave. W. About 280 students are set to graduate. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
NJ tackles teacher shortage by offering student loan relief
The Murphy administration is offering student loan relief of up to $5,000 annually for four years to public school teachers working in high-need subject areas in some of the state's low-performing school districts. Accepted applicants could get total relief of $20,000 in outstanding loan balances if they qualify for each of the four years. The New Jersey Teacher Loan Redemption Program is in its second year as a way to bolster teacher pipelines in districts where student performance is below the state average. Applications opened May 15, and remain open until June 15 on the website of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority for teachers employed at a number of schools eligible for the qualify, teachers at these schools must be teaching mathematics, science, special education, English as a second language, world languages, or career and technical education. Last year the program only included teachers hired after 2022. The state expanded the program this year to include teachers with a hiring date back to Jan. 1, 2009. The state budget allocates $5 million for the program, with $1 million of that for teachers hired on or after Jan. 1, 2024. In addition to the subject areas targeted by the loan redemption program, there are teacher shortages in technology, engineering and English language learning for non-native speakers, according to a 2024 report from Rutgers University's Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. While the percentage of teachers in the state has remained relatively steady for the past decade or so, they now tend to leave the profession early, the report said, due to "insufficient compensation, lack of professional respect, and being overburdened with additional job responsibilities for which they did not receive adequate training or institutional supports to perform." Many of the state's districts reporting teacher shortages had large populations of students from low-income families, according to a 2017 report from the U.S. Department of Education. The state program is designed to "strengthen both recruitment and retention of educators who teach high-need subjects in eligible New Jersey schools," said Margo Chaly, executive director of the state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. It reduces "teacher student loan burdens while helping school districts fill critical vacancies." Initiatives like these help "maintain our standing as one of the best states in the nation for K-12 education,' Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. More: 55,000 public employees to benefit from last round of Biden student loan forgiveness Applicants must reside in New Jersey, hold a current teaching certification from the New Jersey Department of Education, and be employed to teach in a high-need subject at the time of hire. Each annual payment will cover 25% of the principal and interest on eligible expenses from student loans. HESAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of a report due to Murphy and the legislature by July 1 on the program's performance in 2024 or the number of applicants served by it. This article originally appeared on NJ tackles teacher shortage by offering student loan relief
