See the bizarre theory about Mary Fowler and boyfriend Nathan Cleary

• Aussie sports power couple reunited recently 
• Fowler was Down Under before Paris Olympics 
• Cleary has been sidelined with injury for months 

Nathan Cleary got some very welcome news on Tuesday when his return to the field was announced after 10 weeks off with a hamstring injury that’s been the subject of a bizarre theory on social media.

The Penrith halfback was wiped out for the entire State of Origin series after picking up the injury in May, when he aggravated the injury for the second time in as many months.

He’s now due to line up for the Panthers against the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, with the team doing an outstanding job to sit second on the ladder despite missing the man many regard as the world’s best player.

There was a silver lining to Cleary’s long absence as it allowed him to spend time with his soccer star girlfriend Mary Fowler as she was in Australia in early June after the Women’s Super League season finished.

The Manchester City forward was in Sydney to play in the Matildas’ match against China on June 3, where she was seen waving to Cleary as he sat in the crowd with his mum Rebecca.

They shared a romantic night out in the harbour city shortly afterwards, leading one fan to ask when they were announcing their engagement, and they also visited Panthers headquarters in Sydney’s far west.

Fowler and Cleary shared photos of their time together on social media, showing them swimming at a spot in the bush and enjoying a night in a luxury room right in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge before she had to leave to rejoin the Matildas ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Late last month the BorderAthleticsSC account on X shared a ‘conspiracy theory’ about what they claimed was the true nature of Cleary’s hamstring ailment.

‘I had a relative on a plane with a certain Nrl HB [halfback] and girlfriend. Injury not anything like reported. It’s more like a sabbatical,’ the post read.

‘Girlfriend happens to be in a very small holiday window and the Nrl Hb would have missed most of this period with Rep games anyway.’

The account doubled down on the theory that Penrith had basically given the star time off to be with Fowler in a post made on July 11.

‘The Matilda’s and Mary Fowler are now in Spain ready for a [sic] Olympic warm up game against Canada.

‘In other News Nathan Cleary will get selected for Panthers Rd 20 straight after Origin 3.’

That last prediction turned out to be correct – but the claim that Penrith would jeopardise their run at a fourth straight premiership by letting him take time off is outlandish at best.

Cleary rejoins the team as they face a relatively easy run to the end of the regular season, with their only remaining top-eight opponents being the Dolphins and Storm in their last eight matches.

Meanwhile, Fowler and the Matildas will play their first game of the Paris Olympics against Germany on July 26, Australian time.