RETURN OF THE MAN
Anthony Mundine, 42, plots NRL comeback with the Dragons
ANTHONY Mundine is pondering an NRL comeback more than 17 years after quitting the game to pursue a boxing career.
Mundine was sighted at a southern Sydney coffee shop in the company of his manager and Dragons chief executive Peter Doust on Tuesday.
It’s understood the former New South Wales Origin player decided to return to the sport after contemplating a chance to play in the Auckland Nines pre-season tournament in February.
The oldest player currently playing in the NRL - Cronulla Sharks captain Paul Gallen is six years younger than Mundine.
RUGBY LEAGUE IT would be the most extraordinary comeback in rugby league history but Anthony Mundine is deadly serious about wearing the St George Illawarra jersey again.
So serious that the boxer and his manager Khoder Nasser yesterday met Dragons chief executive Peter Doust in a Kogarah coffee shop to ask for a shot at it.
The plan is to play in an Aboriginal knockout tournament in October and take it from there. Almost 17 years after he left rugby league to become a three-time world boxing champion, the 42-year-old somehow still thinks he can match it with the best of them.
Like he did in the old days against Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler and Matty Johns.
Mundine played three State of Origin games for NSW despite the red-hot competition for the Blues’ No. 6 jersey.
He is six years older than the NRL’s oldest player, Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen.
North Sydney Bears star Billy Wilson was the oldest player in history at 40 years of age in 1957.
Mundine, who was one of the game’s most flamboyant players, said he is still hoping to make a comeback.
“I’m training to increase my speed now to prepare,” he said. “I’ll see how I go and then talk to the Dragons again about the off-season.
“I want to do things that have never been done.”