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Editorial: Joel Peterson
Photography: Brendan McCarthy, Pam Blackman/Swan Hill Guardian
As he walks into Swan Hill Police Station on a Monday morning, it’s not unusual for the weekend’s footy to be among the conversation topics for Acting Sergeant Matthew Wade.
But instead of AFL clubs being up for discussion, it’s often A/Sgt Wade himself being referenced as part of an onfield triumph.
A/Sgt Matt Wade has become a mainstay at the Swan Hill Football Club, where he has won two league best and fairest awards.
After opting to move to Swan Hill in 2015, A/Sgt Wade has lapped up the lifestyle in the Murray River town.
“It really felt like home pretty early on,” he said.
“I was only going to be here 18 months initially, but I can’t really see myself leaving now. I really feel like part of the place."
A premiership captain with Nar Nar Goon in the state’s east at age 21, A/Sgt Wade came into town with a glittering football resume and has only added to it since joining Swan Hill Football Club in the 2015 season.
The following year, he won the first of his back-to-back Jack Betts Medals as the Central Murray Football League’s best and fairest player and in 2017 he took over as senior coach.
“It limits the amount I can work on Saturdays during the season, but everyone here is really supportive and there’s a lot of flexibility,” A/Sgt Wade said.
“I try to let everyone know well in advance when I have a bye or a Friday night game during the season so I can do my share of Saturdays.”
Swan Hill’s Senior Sergeant Brian Hansen said roles within the community like A/Sgt Wade’s required a lot of time management, but were beneficial for policing in the area.
“I guess we’re in a fortunate position here that we have a really good core group of people that are involved in the community, so there is the opportunity to lean on each other and share the load a little bit,” Sen Sgt Hansen said.
“We all pull together to get positive results both here at work and in the community as well.”
