'Would be interesting': NRL boss floats Nathan Cleary joining PNG franchise due to Mary Fowler links
NRL boss Andrew Abdo admits it would be "pretty interesting" to see Nathan Cleary join the future PNG expansion team due to his relationship with Matildas star Mary Fowler.
Officials confirmed last year that a team based out of Port Moresby would join the competition from 2028 onwards in a $600 million move.
While their recruitment plans won't come to fruition for a little while longer, Abdo is of the belief that Fowler's background and relationship with the Penrith superstar could be of benefit to the game as they look to grow in a new market.
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Fowler's mother was born in Kira Kira, a village located north of the PNG capital - with any potential support for the 18th franchise seen as a major boost according to Abdo, given her close ties to the four-time premiership winner in Cleary.
Mary Fowler has been dating Nathan Cleary for over a year. Nine
"It could be something that plays out in the future as something really exciting," he told the Hello Sport Podcast.
"A really exciting combination isn't it ... it captivates people.
"There will be a lot of people that are Mary Fowler fans that now are interested in rugby league. There's a lot of people who know nothing about sport who are interested in the romance between the two.
"Obviously if Nathan was playing for PNG down the track that would be pretty interesting as well."
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While it would be seen as a long shot to draw the Panthers halfback away from the club he has spent his whole career with, the money on offer could be too good to refuse.
Due to the tax concessions players will receive should they sign with the PNG franchise, Cleary would likely become the game's highest-paid player in history.
Nathan Cleary of the Panthers in Las Vegas. Getty
"It's not something I've had to think about too much," he said in Las Vegas.
"Obviously I don't have a family. In saying that, that will be spoken about quite a bit, especially if it's a young family. We'll have to wait and see.
"I think it's great for them. It's pretty cool with the incentive of the tax that they can try and draw big-name players in ... it will be interesting."
The comments from Abdo and Cleary come as the NRL continues to look towards even more expansion, potentially adding a Perth team to the competition.
