Jim Serdaris

Boom Souths junior, the 'Dally M' Rookie of the Year in 1989 - the year the Rabbitohs won the minor premiership - took a further three seasons to reach his potential. After a falling out with the Souths club, Serdaris joined C’bury in 1993 and set about displaying his considerable talents as a creative hooker. The Bulldogs took the minor premiership that year and made it all the way to the final but Serdaris then appeared to have cut his own throat when he accepted his manager's advice to sign a huge contract with the struggling Wests club. Promoted to captain, Serdaris consistently won praise in a losing side but despite a concerted media push, he had to cool his heels while veteran rake Ben Elias retained his place in NSW's State of Origin team. Serdaris' selection as second string hooker on the 1994 Kangaroo tour was clearly a look to the future by selectors and he did not disappoint with a series of solid, workman-like displays in the minor tour matches. The following year he made his Test debut in controversial circumstances after Australian Test coach Bob Fulton used his considerable influence to press Serdaris’ case for selection in the Second Test of the Trans-Tasman series. Although a broken thumb ruled him out of Australia’s victorious World Cup team at the end of the year, Serdaris had already signed a contract to play with Manly in 1996. After a slow start to the season, which saw him overlooked for rep duty, Serdaris regained something like his old form and starred in Manly’s 20-8 grand final win over St George. In the following two seasons he struggled to regain his best form and, even allowing for the Super League split, he was not able to consolidate his rep career with the ARL. Overlooked by the newly-merged N’Eagles club, his Sydney career abruptly came to a close. Then, in 2002, he joined French club Pia late in 2002 and made his comeback in the French Elite League.