Mary Fowler’s latest decision tells us something we should already know about her

October 7, 2026 — 3:54pm

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When someone shows you who they are, as American writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, you should believe them the first time.

Mary Fowler has shown us who she is. She is not exactly hiding it. She has told us, explicitly and proudly, about what makes her tick, the things that she truly values in life, and where soccer sits in her personal pecking order – and we admire her for this. But we don’t seem to be listening.

We are patiently waiting for her to finally find that permanent role in the Matildas’ starting XI so that we can watch her settle in and play there for the next decade. We dream of seeing her become an undisputed global superstar, winning Ballons d’Or and UEFA Champions League medals, leading the Matildas and Australian soccer towards greatness, all without wondering if she actually wants any of these things, or if we just want them for us, via her.

Fowler is reportedly back in Sydney visiting her partner, Penrith Panthers NRL star Nathan Cleary, as he recovers from a career-threatening broken leg. These are presumably the unexplained “personal circumstances” that led to her pulling out of the Matildas’ friendlies against Germany and Haiti – but since nothing has been said officially, we still don’t know for sure.

Regardless, coach Joe Montemurro has been denied a critical opportunity to advance his preparations for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, insofar as where Fowler fits into those plans. These are not “only friendlies”; this team will have just a handful of games together before the tournament begins, and Fowler has rarely been fully fit since Montemurro began........

© The Sydney Morning Herald