Mary Fowler jetted out of Sydney on Thursday after enjoying a break following the Olympics in Paris, but there was no emotional farewell with boyfriend Nathan Cleary at the airport.
The 21-year-old returned home after the Matildas'disappointing Paris Olympics campaign, which saw them fail to progress past the pool stage thanks to losses to Germany and the USA, and an almighty scare against Zambia.
With her English team Manchester City due to play in a pre-season tournament in Australia from August 21 to September 2, the forward had spent some quality time with her NRL star boyfriend Nathan Cleary lately - with the Penrith star licking his wounds after copping another injury this season.
But after recuperating with her beau, full focus is now on the season ahead, and Fowler was pictured at Sydney Airport ahead of linking up with her City teammates.
There was no sign of Cleary, though, with Fowler spotted browsing books in the hope of some reading material for her flight to Perth, where City play Leicester in a pre-season friendly.
Fowler was dressed in a casual beige jumper, jeans and ugg boots as well as a cap, and packed light with just a small carry on suitcase and a backpack.
Cleary had previously waved Fowler off when she left Sydney in May, with the halfback playing the gent by wheeling her luggage before she checked in.
Fowler did not spend all of her time in Sydney with Cleary, though, and was seen putting in the hard work in the gym with Matildas teammate Courtney Nevin in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, near Cleary's home.
Mary Fowler was spotted at Sydney Airport after spending a short break with her boyfriend Nathan Cleary
The 21-year-old browsed books before jetting off to Perth with her Man City teammates
Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a never-before-seen tattoo on the City star, with the inscription on her lower back reading: 'Love by faith not by sight'.
The message can be read as a variation on the theme 'love is more than skin deep', meaning affection for someone can't just be based on superficial things like their looks.
The phrase also bears a close resemblance to 'we live by faith, not by sight' which is a passage from the book of Corinthians in the Bible.
Fowler's addition to her other tattoos doesn't feature in any of the selfies on her Instagram account.
Her holiday down under saw her enjoy a day out at some markets in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, with Cleary soon after he suffered a shoulder injury that initially led to speculation his season could be over.
However, he has been cleared of the need for surgery and is expected to be back on the field for the finals as Penrith try to win four premierships in a row.
The couple enjoyed breakfast at a local café then explored the Glenbrook Rotary Markets where Nathan sampled a scented candle as they looked relaxed and happy.
Both Fowler and Cleary are no strangers to the challenges of injuries and the road to recovery.
There was no sign of Fowler's footy star boyfriend Nathan Cleary at the airport
Fowler had enjoyed a break with Cleary following the Matildas' Olympic Games campaign
Fowler has dealt with recurring back and foot issues throughout her young career, while Cleary has a more extensive history with injuries.
Thankfully, his most recent setback involves the opposite shoulder from the one he injured in 2021.
Mary and Nathan began dating towards the end of last year, with their relationship first reported by Daily Mail Australia.
The initial report featured photos of Mary leaning her head on Nathan's chest while they enjoyed a quiet moment together in a Perth park before one of her Matildas matches.
The couple made their relationship public in October in Perth and later confirmed their romance on Instagram in January.
In May, Nathan, the star halfback for NSW, was sidelined with a grade two hamstring injury, which ruled him out of the State of Origin series for eight weeks.
During his recovery, Nathan and Mary, 21, took the opportunity to spend some quality time together on a romantic getaway.
Both athletes keep their relationship quite private. Nathan has acknowledged that the attention on his personal life has been unexpected.
'Obviously it's different from when I was young coming into first grade and people are dissecting my game. I hadn't had that before,' he shared earlier this year.