Mundine return 'no joke' By Stuart Honeysett April 8, 2005
SOUTH SYDNEY said it was interested, the Sydney Roosters said they were not, while other clubs including St George Illawarra were stunned by the news boxer Anthony Mundine was contemplating a comeback to the game.
Unfinished business ... anthony Mundine /
The former Broncos and Dragons five-eighth-turned-boxer dropped the bombshell on Channel Nine's news last night, saying he would return to the NRL after his WBA super-middleweight title fight against Denmark's Mikkel Kessler on May 11.
"I feel that I've got unfinished business in that area and after the fight we want to come back and play this season," Mundine said.
"I want to come back the same way I went out as being 'The Man', so you can call that the resurrection of The Man. I'm back, baby."
Mundine, 29, stunned the game in 2000 when he walked out on the Dragons early in the season before returning to announce his retirement to pursue a career in boxing.
He boasts a 23-2 win-loss record with 18 knockouts and the highlight of his career came in September 2003 when Mundine defeated American Antwun Echols for the WBA super-middleweight crown.
Mundine said his planned comeback was not a gimmick.
His mouth has caused controversy over the years. In 2000 he labelled Melbourne pretenders after it beat St George Illawarra in the 1999 grand final and the Storm responded by handing the Dragons a record 70-10 loss.
He also accused national selectors of being racist after he and fellow Aborigine Nathan Blacklock were overlooked for the Kangaroos and said he was a better player than Laurie Daley and Brad Fittler.
"People are going to say, 'he's talking this, he's talking this, he's talking that' (and) they can say what they want," Mundine said. "We'll see what happens in June."
Mundine would be a welcome addition to St George Illawarra after its 0-4 start to the season and he still has links at the club with coach Nathan Brown among his close friends.
But the former NSW bench player has also been linked with Souths in the past while he has developed a friendship with the Warriors, and he warned Dragons fans not to get ahead of themselves just yet.
"Right now I want to talk to a few clubs to see where their vision's at, to see where their dedication's at and their desire to be the best," Mundine said.
St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust said he was surprised to hear of Mundine's comeback and said the Dragons had little room to move under the $3.3million salary cap.
The Dragons would have other issues including whether present number six and captain Trent Barrett would be forced to shift to halfback as he did during Mundine's last stint at the club, but Doust didn't close the door on having a talk.
"He's got a long history as a junior at the club and I don't understand the difference between rugby league and boxing from a fitness point of view, but I've got a great deal of respect for Anthony so who knows?" Doust said last night.
"You're always interested in talking to athletes like that."
South Sydney has lost its five-eighth John Sutton for two months with a dislocated sternum and chief executive Shane Richardson said the club had room to move under the cap if Mundine was genuine about a return.
"I haven't seen (the report) yet so it's hard to say but obviously we'd be interested," Richardson said.
"He was a great player in his day and he still would remain one. He was a classic six, so if he wanted to make a comeback we'd be happy to talk to him."
Mundine has an association with the Warriors through his boxing career but it is unlikely the club could afford him after recruiting Steve Price, Ruben Wiki and Nathan Fien for 2005.
"You've sprung it on me and would we consider having a chat to him?" Warriors general manager Spiro Tsiros said.
"At a cursory level yes, but in all seriousness given other factors outside of Choc's ability, it's probably not someone we'd consider. We've got some youngsters coming through that obviously take a priority."
The Roosters could certainly use Mundine after Fittler retired last year, however, chief executive Brian Canavan said they were concentrating on re-signing Brett Finch.
"He's a super athlete and I don't think his absence from the game will do him any harm," Canavan said.
"But we're comfortable with what we've got in that department, it's just a time issue for us. Unless he wants to play for nothing. Did he say that?"
NRL chief executive David Gallop said it was good news and Mundine would be welcomed back with open arms.
"Anthony's an outstanding athlete and footballer and would be an exciting acquisition for any team," Gallop said.
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One thing you can say about Choc, he's always had a high opinion of himself.
