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Mundine takes big step towards rugby league return

Anthony Mundine looks deadly serious about making a comeback to rugby league and wants to wear the Red V again.

According to News Corp, Mundine recently met with St George Illawarra CEO Peter Doust and put his case forward.

Despite being 42 years old, Mundine keeps talking up his chances of a remarkable NRL return, and reportedly met with Doust at a Kogarah coffee shop on Tuesday.

Mundine is said to be eyeing a return to league in an Aboriginal knockout tournament in October, and taking things from there.

Mundine with the Dragons in 1998. Image: Getty
Mundine with the Dragons in 1998. Image: Getty

"I've played in the Aboriginal knockout before and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever played in, even when I was 21," he told News Corp.

"I’m training to increase my speed now to prepare. I’ll see how I go and then talk to the Dragons again about the off-season."

The former five-eighth played 134 first grade games over eight seasons with the Dragons and Brisbane Broncos, from 1993 to 2000, before leaving the sport to become a boxer.

Newcastle Knights great Matthew Johns on Tuesday said he had no doubts Mundine would give it his all if he was serious about returning to the NRL.

"It’s a tall order. It’s tough — there’s no doubt about that," Johns said on the Triple M Grill Team.

"You lose that explosiveness as you get older, even a great athlete like Choc (does), but I love it, it’s just a great story.

“If I was (Dragons coach) Paul McGregor I’d say, ‘Come on Choc, come back, come and join us in the off-season.’

Done with boxing? Image: Getty
Done with boxing? Image: Getty

"He isn’t a disruptive influence. He’s an absolute champion, he’s a really good fella. He takes a lot of his cues — the way he sells his fights — off his hero Muhammad Ali but he’s a terrific bloke.

“He’d be good for the young blokes there. Imagine if he played in the first trial game just to see how he goes, he’d fill the stadium.”

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If Mundine was to play in the NRL again, he would be the oldest player in history, surpassing Billy "Bluey" Wilson, who retired in 1967 at the age of 40.

"I feel that good and that youthful," Mundine told AAP in May.

"If I can get anywhere up to the speed of what I used to be as a youngster, that could definitely be an option.

"I want to do things that have never been done. I want to make it possible."