Anthony Mundine and a celeb crew take on SAS Australia

So completing a SAS recruitment test with a bunch of driven celebrities would be right up Anthony Mundine's alley, right?

Mundine admits he isn't "afraid of too much" and is determined to dominate the course and pass selection.

"Yeah, you're going to fail. But it's not about the setback. It's about the comeback. If I set out to do something, I'm going to do it. Period," he said.

For the first time on SAS Australia, the recruits travel offshore to a secret base in the Middle East where they will eat, sleep and train together in punishingly hot and arid conditions, with no allowances or exceptions made.

Read more: Celebs take it to the limit as SAS Australia goes to the Middle East

Mundine, who says he "learned the true depths of his mental strength" during the show, didn't deviate too much from his regular fitness regime in preparation.

"I saw it as a challenge. I'm pretty good physically, but I also thought it would be a good mental test. It was good to get out of my comfort zone," he said.

"I maintained my normal fitness routine, which includes a lot of boxing, and I bought a pair of steel cap boots to wear on road and dune runs.

Mundine is one of two former Dragons on the latest series, with onetime NRLW player Mahalia Murphy also among the recruits.

The Dragons junior spent a number of stints at the club as a senior and most notably starred in the club's grand final run in 1996.

It was during that season he announced he was joining Brisbane for the 1997 Super League season - a move that won him the sport's only Super League premiership ever played in Australia.

He was the Dragons' leading tryscorer in 1996, with 15 tries, and then returned to the club in 1998.

Mundine scored 17 tries in 23 games in 1999 but left the sport halfway through the 2000 season to go boxing.