In 2004, Buderus was awarded the 2004 Dally M Medal for the Player of the Year, only the second hooker to be awarded the medal after Mal Cochrane as well as the 2004 Hooker of the Year. Buderus was selected in the Australian team to go and compete in the end of season 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Great Britain he played at hooker in the Kangaroos' 44–4 victory. In 2005 Buderus again won the Hooker of the Year award. On 13 March 2008, Buderus signed a 2-year contract with the Leeds Rhinos starting in 2009.[5] In August 2008, Buderus was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup despite comments by Kangaroos' coach, Ricky Stuart, that he would not select players leaving Australia to play in England in 2009. However Buderus wasn't selected to play in a game.[6][7]
Leeds Rhinos
Buderus commenced playing in the Super League for English club the Leeds Rhinos in 2009. He re-signed with the Rhinos on a 2-year contract during 2010.
After new Newcastle Knights coach Wayne Bennett requested Buderus' services, Buderus signed a 1-year contract on 1 October 2011 with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2012, returning to the club he had played 220 games for. He had been released from the final year of his Leeds Rhinos contract to sign with Newcastle.
Return to Newcastle
In 2012, 7 weeks into his return to the National Rugby League, Buderus was again selected for Country Origin at starting hooker,[16] however he withdrew due to injury. Later in the year there was speculation he would be named at hooker for New South Wales in Game 1 of the 2012 State of Origin series but was injured and didn't get picked, Robbie Farah was instead picked and retained his spot for the rest of the series. On 12 June 2012, Buderus re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract, 14 rounds into the 2012 season.[17]
In September 2013, Buderus announced his retirement at the end of the 2013 NRL season. During the Knights vs Roosters Preliminary Final, Buderus entered a tackle and made contact with the elbow of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, knocking him out. This saw Buderus stretchered from the field, ending his career. However, later scans in hospital cleared the retiring hooker of any serious head or neck injuries.[18]
Buderus stayed with the Knights as an assistant coach for 2014. In July 2015, Buderus was made interim head coach, following the sacking of Rick Stone.[19] After the 2016 season, he chose to leave his role as an assistant coach. He served as pathways coach in 2017. Buderus was also a selector[when?] for the NSW Blues helping select the series winning side along with Greg Alexander and former Knights teammate and Rugby LeagueImmortalAndrew Johns. On 28 September 2023, Buderus was informed by the NSWRL board that his contract would not be renewed for the following season after New South Wales suffered another series loss.[20]