Sergi was a contributor who's impact at the Panthers could be felt on and off the park as his involvement as a player and then as president of both the senior and junior club.

Steve Parr who worked alongside Sergi for a number of years at the club, remembers him as a tireless hard worked who was often the first to arrive and last to leave.

"He was a contributor right through the club," he said.

"From opening the gate up to if there was a lawnmower there he would have mowed the lawns as well.

"He was a great contributor as a player, president and sponsor. He was chucking in a fair bit of money into the club as a sponsor over five or six years."

Parr came to the Black and Whites in 1990 after talking with Sergi and was apart of the first-grade premiership side in 1990 and feels their success came from the strong leadership from Sergi as president.

"He did it on a shoestring budget, so it was a great achievement," he said.

Parr felt that the way he was able to keep the club financial would be what Sergi would say is his greatest achievement.

"While the club was under his watch the club never lost any money," he said.

"We were always running even or in the black, so that was probably a fairly significant achievement.

"He'd say the same thing, it wasn't the fact that we won premierships in junior and senior grades while he at the helm it was more that the club was financial."

Sergi was known for his dry sense of humour and ability to deliver a one-liner and say the right thing at the right time and for Parr there is one quote which stood out.

"Joe's favourite saying was 'don't give me excuses give me solutions'" he said.

Sergi is a Life Member at the Black and Whites and was still heavily involved with the club as a member of the 100-year reunion committee.

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