nospam49 said:
Other quotes I wouldnt mind getting....Anthony Mundine quotes.
I like to think of myself as the resident Mundine historian. The below are all verbatim.
Choc: You guys wouldn't be here interviewing me if you didn't think it was an injustice. The way I feel is Chris Anderson and the selectors have their bunch and they dictate what goes on and who is in the team and who's not. Call it a dictatorship if you want. I dont feel that it's the form team or the best team on the paddock, you know, they have their boys. Like, for instance, Nathan Blacklock scored 24 tries this year, led the scoring in the finals series, the Dally M winger of the year. He wasn't chosen. Another one, David Peachey - he's been the most potent fullback this season. He stands out, above everyone I feel, and he wasn't chosen, and myself. And we're all Aboriginal and we're all proud.
Interviewer: You think you haven't been selected because of the colour of your skin?
Choc: Well, you can put one and one together. I'm sure you can. You're not silly.
Choc: Laurie Daley is running on old legs. I'm fresh. I've got young legs. It's time for the new generation brother. It's time for us to have a go. I want to be up against Laurie Daley as soon as possible
Interviewer: You've been quoted as saying you consider yourself champions. That last second try must still hurt.
Choc: Oh man, we know we had it, we know we blew it. That's why it's going to be a great game, great atmosphere. Hopefully the people can get there from down Melbourne and whoever's coming from Sydney and witness the grand final replay, hopefully in favour of the other side.
Interviewer: There's still a bit of speculation about the last minute try in the grand final. Have you had a chance to look at it over the off-season? Still go along with the ruling?
Choc: No, there's still a lot of questions about that game; a forward pass to Matt Geyer, the last try, very controversial. There's a lot of points you can put out, but you can't undo it. We've got to go down there and prove to them and ourselves and especially our fans, you know, we should be the number one team.
Interviewer: Do you still consider them worthy premiers given that it was a last minute try?
Choc: I dont really feel they deserved to win but they got the win. But we're going out on Friday night. Be a good match, that's what everyone's looking forward to.
Choc: At the end of the day they all know who 'The Man' is - the selectors, my rivals and the public. Fittler will be selected in the side because it is very hard to beat the golden boy. In reality I should be in the side. He would know that what we have going isn't a rivalry. I don't see it as a rivalry. He hasn't beaten me or outplayed me in the last five years. I have whipped him every time. Is he the benchmark for selection or not? By the selectors he has been considered the one for the job. If I beat him year after year, why isn't that rewarded? My so-called rivals have not come close to me. From 1996 to this year I have not been beaten. That is a complete domination. Is that a rivalry? I call it a mismatch. I have nothing personal against Fittler or anyone for that matter, I just don't like injustice being done.
and finally, after the Barry Ward "black merkin" incident...
Choc: We are setting a new standard. This kind of discrimination has been going on for 200 years and it's got to stop. Hopefully now my other brothers won't be afraid to speak out.
Keep fighting the good fight Choc.
