Career
Pondeljak started his career in the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) before playing for Saint Albans, making 62 appearances in his 2½-year spell at the lower league Victorian club He was then brought into the National Soccer League (Nationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma Luchtkwaliteit) by the Melbourne Knights and helped them to victory during the 1995-1996 Nationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma Luchtkwaliteit season. After playing another 3½ years and a total of 97 appearances for the Melbourne club, he moved to Sydney United.
Following the collapse of the Nationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma Luchtkwaliteit at the end of the 2003/04 season, he went to Malaysia and played for Johor Football Club. When the A-League was formed, Pondeljak was being chased by a number of teams including Sydney Football Club, Perth Glory, Newcastle Jets and his hometown team Melbourne Victory but it was the Central Coast Mariners who made the best offer and he accepted that offer, becoming one of the marquee signings for the Mariners.
The 2005/06 season was not the best for Pondeljak as he was injured for about two months with a fractured and dislocated wrist. He did however produce one of the goals of the season against Sydney Football Club. He ran into the penalty area, turned three Sydney Football Club players and slotted the ball past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Clint Bolton.
He scored the only goal of the Preliminary Final against Adelaide United to send the Central Coast Mariners into the Grand Final. On 27 February 2008, Pondeljak signed a two-year contract with Melbourne Victory.
Pondeljak was promoted to Victory’s starting 11 following his debut against South of Korea’s Chunnam Dragons and proved his worth on four minutes with a cracking shot from outside the penalty area that gave the visitors a perfect start.
On 28 January 2009, Pondeljak started for Australia in their Asian Cup qualifying match against Indonesia, which was Pondeljak"s first international appearance in seven years, and added to the four caps he had earned back in 2002. Pondeljak left Melbourne Victory at the conclusion of the 2011-2012 A-League season and returned to boyhood club Street Albans Saints. Pondeljak retired at the end of the 2013 Victorian State League One season, helping Dinamo avoid relegation in a tough season.
With Melbourne Victory:.