ON the BALL
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. “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.”
But instead of AFL clubs being up for discussion, it’s often A/Sgt Wade himself being referenced as part of an onfield triumph.
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.
After opting to move to Swan Hill in 2015, A/Sgt Wade has lapped up the lifestyle in the Murray River town.
“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.
“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.
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POLICE LIFE | AUTUMN 2019
“We all pull together to get positive results both here at work and in the community as well.” Images Play on
“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.
A/Sgt Matt Wade has become a mainstay at the Swan Hill Football Club, where he has won two league best and fairest awards.
