Tom Pondeljak

NSL Career: Melbourne Knights, Sydney United, Sydney Olympic, Perth 246 (55) / 1995/96 - 2003/04

Socceroos Career: 6 (0) A Internationals

A livewire attacking midfielder, Tom Pondeljak was one of the most successful players during the late era of the NSL who possessed a massive engine and scored and created plenty of goals for his teams. Pondeljak's ability to run tirelessly, due to an oversized heart, makes him one of the fittest players to have ever played in the national league.

Pondeljak started his junior career with older brother Oliver (future NSL star) at their local club St Albans and progressed through the ranks before entering the Victorian Institute of Sport Soccer Program as a 16 year old. Following his time at the VIS, Pondeljak broke in to the St Albans first team and made his Victorian Premier League debut at the age of 17. The talented youngster spent three seasons at the club and was the joint winner of the Victorian Premier League Player of the Year in his final season. 

Following the 1995 VPL season, Pondeljak joined brother Oliver at reigning NSL champions Melbourne Knights. While Oliver had a short stint midway through the season with Croatian First Football League side Segesta that resulted in injury, Tom became a consistent performer for Knights, scoring nine goals in 27 games.

 Pondeljak capped-off his impressive first season with the club by scoring in the second leg of Knights' major semi-final win over Marconi before starting in the Knights' two-one grand final victory over the Sydneysiders. Over the next three seasons, Pondeljak scored 20 goals in 70 league games for the club, including a career-best 11 goals in the 1997/98 season, but was unable to help the club qualify for the finals series in the 1997/98 and 1998/99 seasons.

The dynamic midfielder moved across to Sydney United for the 1999/00 season and despite remaining a consistent performer, was unable to help the club find a way off the bottom of the ladder. Pondeljak spent another season at United, who again failed to qualify for the finals series, before joining Sydney Olympic for the 2001/02 season.

Hungry for success, Pondeljak became a key player for the side - scoring seven goals in 29 league games, including goals in the elimination final and minor semi-final. Pondeljak swung in a corner to team mate Jade North in the preliminary final that found it's way to Ante Milicic who scored the winning goal. 

Pondeljak played in Olympic's one-nil grand final win over Perth before making his full international debut during Australia's 2002 Oceania Nations Cup campaign and continued to perform for Olympic during the 2002/03 season as the club made back-to-back grand final appearances. 

In a grand final replay, Olympic lost two-nil to Perth before Pondeljak joined the Western Australian club for the final season of the NSL. In a dominant season from Perth, Pondeljak was instrumental in getting the side in to it's fourth NSL Grand Final, setting up two goals in Perth's five-nil demolition of new franchise club Adelaide United in the preliminary final.

Pondeljak played in Perth's one-nil grand final victory over Parramatta Power and following the conclusion of the NSL, the midfielder joined Malaysian Premier League club Johor for the remainder of the 2004 season, helping the side finish third in the league. Pondeljak joined new franchise club Central Coast Mariners for the inaugural A-League season and spent three seasons at the club - helping them reach the grand final in the 2005/06 and 2007/08 seasons (lost on both occasions). 

The veteran midfielder joined Melbourne Victory for the 2008/09 season and helped the side reach their second A-League Grand Final in four seasons and scored the winner in Victory's one-nil victory over Adelaide United as he was awarded the Joe Marston Medal. Following his seventh national league grand final, Pondeljak spent another three seasons at the club before retiring from the top flight and finished his career with his original senior club St Albans in the Victorian State League Division One, hanging up his boots at the age of 37.