North Central: Calder United star Matt Wade secures job promotion back in Gippsland

A star of the Central Murray and North Central leagues is heading back to Gippsland, but will stay with current club in pursuit of historic flag.

Star midfielder Matt Wade will play out the season with Calder United in the North Central league despite securing a job promotion on the other side of the state.

Wade is returning to Gippsland as a policeman after being based at Swan Hill since the mid-2010s.

Wade played for Nar Nar Goon and Tooradin-Dalmore in Gippsland before signing with Swan Hill where he won three Central Murray league Jack Betts Medals in 2016-17 and 2023.

Matt Wade will see out the season with Calder United in the North Central league. Photo by Chloe Smith.

He also coached Swan Hill for seven years before joining Nullawil last year where his first season was interrupted by a mid-season hamstring injury.

“He’s committed to staying with us for the rest of the year,” Calder United coach Darryl Wilson said.

“He will just manage his ability to play as many games as he can.

“We’re shattered to lose him, but from a professional point of view it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

“He had some soft tissue injuries last year, but this year has been very good.”

Wade hasn’t missed a match this season with the league resuming on Saturday and Calder United coming off a 140-point thrashing of Charlton before the bye.

Wade coaches the merged club’s under-17 team which is on track to also play finals.

Calder United’s senior team is sitting third on the ladder behind Birchip-Watchem and Sea Lake-Nandaly.

Calder United lost to Sea Lake-Nandaly by 23 points in round 2 and only two points to Birchip-Watchem in round 4.