Jim Paterson made his first appearance for the Townsville senior team during the 1953 season while playing with Souths, where he had played his junior football. Paterson became a legendary figure in North Queensland football, representing Queensland and Australia from the North. His first appearance in a North Queensland jersey was in 1954 when he played in Rockhampton. He couldn't participate in any of the further trials that year due to commitments to go on camp with the Army. The following season Jim Paterson moved to Toowoomba club Valleys where he was coached by Herb Steinohrt. He represented Toowoomba for two seasons but a string of injuries prevented him from gaining higher honours. On his return to Townsville in 1958 Paterson coached Souths, again played for North Queensland, and was chosen in the reserves for Queensland in the trial against The Rest. In a comical situation, Paterson was called on to replace John Eaton in the match when Eaton suffered a broken leg. Unfortunately, Paul Pyers was wearing one of Paterson's boots after the winger had damaged his own, so Paterson couldn't take the field. He didn't have to wait long to get his next chance however, being chosen for the match the following Saturday against New South Wales. That small delay couldn't prevent the inevitable as Paterson went on to play for Queensland many times until he retired at the end of the 1966 season. During the next season, 1959, he helped the Maroons to win the interstate series against New South Wales for the first time. Paterson then went on to wear the green and gold of Australia in the three Tests against New Zealand.		His efforts for Queensland gained him selection on the Kangaroo tour. Although he played in many of the tour matches in England, it wasn't until the matches against France that he played in a Test, featuring in the First and Third Test wins. In 1960 Jim Paterson took up a coaching position in Innisfail, after he received assistance from 'Stumpy' Lawrence to secure the job. In a successful year for him, Innisfail won the Foley Shield and Paterson played for North Queensland, Queensland and Australia. The Test in Sydney against France featured five Queenslanders in the forward pack. The following year Paterson toured New Zealand with the Australian team, playing in both Tests against the Kiwis. This was after the Queensland team, of which he was now a fixture, retained the interstate crown against New South Wales. Paterson spent a third year in Innisfail but, instead of playing with all the clubs, he joined the Babinda Colts as coach. In 1963 the Herbert River coaching position lured Paterson to Ingham. Once again he represented North Queensland, including the match against New Zealand, and again went on to play for Queensland against the Blues. He returned to Townsville to coach Centrals and the Foley Shield team in 1964, taking his team to the Shield final. Paterson continued to play for North Queensland and Queensland until 1966 when he was again a member of Townsville's Foley Shield final team. Throughout his career Jim Paterson resisted offers to go to Sydney, preferring to stay in the North to be part of some historic North Queensland teams.

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