Anthony Mundine wants to make an NRL comeback at 40 years old

ANTHONY Mundine knows rugby league fans will laugh at him. At 40 years of age he has confirmed he wants to make an NRL comeback.

ANTHONY MUNDINE IN THE POOL

ANTHONY Mundine knows rugby league fans will laugh at him. At 40 years of age he has confirmed he wants to make an NRL comeback.

True story. Choc thinks he can successfully return to St George Illawarra, the club he quit in 2000 to become a boxing world champion.

“If I’ve got a dream that I believe I’m capable of achieving then I’ll have a crack,” he says.

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“If I fail then I fail. I’ll have a go at something else.

“People can laugh all they want. If you fail at something, so what. As long as you gave it your best.

“I know with my skills I can still be one of the best five-eighths in the game.”

It sounds crazy that he would be even thinking about it. But the Man has been in contact with Dragons CEO Peter Doust and wants to give it a shot.

“I’ve played in three grand — finals and won one in Super League, which doesn’t count,” he says, “I want a real one.

“Age doesn’t define me. I’m 40 but I feel like I’m 25. My body hasn’t had the year-in-year-out punishment from rugby league. I left the game in my prime.

“I know I’ve still got the skill. It’s about getting the speed back and training as a sprinter to achieve that. I played rugby league at four. I played for 20 years.”

He insists the Dragons are the only club he’d play for. He doesn’t expect a sign-on fee and would give it a go for match payments only.

“I had a chat with Peter Doust about it,” Mundine said, “He rang me to ask me about the rumours I wanted to come back. I just told him it’s not a joke and I’m deadly serious.

Anthony Mundine back in 1998 playing for the Dragons.

“He knows I’m an extraordinary athlete. I’m a cut above normal athletes, mentally and physically.

“My whole career has been about pioneering. I’m an explosive juggernaut. That’s the intrigue — can the magician bring out his tricks again?

Anthony Mundine is plenty of things but never boring.

“Imagine Mundine verse Thurston. The somersaults and all that stuff.

“I know I’m coming to an end but I’ve still got the desire.

“To anybody who has a dream, chase it. Just don’t leave it at the cemetery.”

Mundine still wants to fight Danny Green next year before attempting the rugby league comeback.

He is still recovering from recent hip surgery in the UK and is doing his rehab under the care of legendary sporting mentor Dick Caine.

Originally published as Anthony Mundine wants to make an NRL comeback at 40 years old