Alex Bundalo

NSL Career: Wollongong City, APIA 184 (28) / 1984 - 1991/92

Skilful and hardworking, with the ability to score from midfield, Alex Bundalo was a highly promising footballer in his teenage years and became one of the league's most complete midfielders during the 1980s before his career was cut short by injury. Starting his NSL career during the finals series era, Bundalo was unfortunate not to have played a finals match in his 184-game career in the competition.

A Wollongong native, Bundalo broke in to the Fairy Meadow first team at the age of 16. From Fairy Meadow, Bundalo earned a scholarship to serve an apprenticeship with English giants Manchester United in 1982. Bundalo returned to Fairy Meadow from Manchester to compete in the NSW Division Two before joining NSL club Wollongong City for the 1984 season.

Playing alongside talented midfielders Peter Kotamanidis and Larry Gaffney, Bundalo made his NSL debut at the age of 18 and scored two goals in his first three games. Bundalo spent two seasons at the club under coach Adrian Alston where he formed the backbone of the Wollongong midfield with Zivko Hristovski, but was unable to help the side push for a place in the finals series.

After starring for the Young Socceroos at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship, Bundalo became one of Rale Rašić's first signings as APIA coach along with Hristovski. Playing alongside APIA stalwart Terry Butler, Bundalo became an important player for the club but was again forced to wait for the experience of finals football.

The 1987 season saw Bundalo's position under threat as APIA signed a number of brilliant midfielders including Peter Katholos, Peter Tredinnick and Burim Zajmi. Bundalo started 16 of the first 18 games of the season, helping APIA remain undefeated during that time before losing his spot.

APIA went on to win the championship before Bundalo made his return to the first team in the Play-Off Series Preliminary Final. APIA reached the grand final but lost four-nil to St. George in which Bundalo played the full 90 minutes. Bundalo didn't make a first team appearance in the 1988 season until round six but held down his spot in the side thereafter and played in the side's NSL Cup Final victory over Brunswick. 

Bundalo spent two more seasons at the club where he scored 14 goals in 52 league games and helped the side reach consecutive NSL Cup Semi-Finals but was unable to register his first finals series appearance after APIA narrowly missed out on a spot in the finals series at the end of the 1989/90 season. 

Bundalo returned to Wollongong for the 1991/92 season, signing a $27,000 transfer fee, and started the season well before breaking his leg in round 14 and missed the rest of the season as Wollongong qualified for the finals series. Bundalo recovered from the injury but was unable to get back in to the Wollongong side before retiring from the NSL at the just 26 years of age.