Victorian wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade will By Marc McGowan
VICTORIAN gloveman Matthew Wade is finally a Swan.
Casey-South Melbourne coach Mark Ridgway told the News last month that Wade’s signing was imminent, but it was not until last week that it became official.
Fellow former-Tasmanian state player Shannon Tubb, 28, is likely to join Wade at Casey Fields to help stiffen the club’s brittle batting order.
Tubb’s signing is reliant on club officials finding him work in Victoria.
Wade, 21, will play only as a batsman for the Swans, leaving up-and-coming wicketkeeper Tom Hussey to continue his role behind the stumps.
The former Australian under-19 representative competed for Camberwell the past two seasons after crossing the Bass Strait.
Wade and last season’s boom recruit Damien Wright, 33, will be Casey-South Melbourne’s professionals.
Speedster Jayde Herrick, 24, was keen to return to amateur status to focus on his goal of breaking into the Victorian squad.
He will not have coaching responsibilities next season, but Swans president Mick Taylor feels he will still offer advice to the club’s younger members.
“When Jayde came last year he didn’t have a job and the money was important to him, but he realises that time is running out to make the state side,” Taylor said.
“If he’s going to do it, it will be in the next couple of years when some of the guys retire and he really just wants to focus on getting into the state side.
“He’ll drop his coaching commitments, but he’s the sort of guy who’ll want to contribute anyway and he showed good leadership skills last season.”
Taylor also defended Wade’s signing despite some critics questioning his value for Casey- South Melbourne due to his Bushrangers duties.
“I suppose some people might have questioned it because of his possible state commitments, but we think it’s important to have those sort of guys around for our young fellas to learn off,” he said.
“It’s really in the lap of the gods if he plays just four-day cricket (for Victoria) and that would mean playing eight or nine games.
“If he is in everything he might only play a few. Wrighty was either in the team or 12th man and was only able to play four or five games for us.
“But we feel we got great value out of Wrighty out of what he was able to contribute off field and he spent a fair bit of time in the pre-season and also during the season … encouraging and offering advice to our players.”
The Swans’ captaincy for next season is also set for strong discussion over the next two weeks.
Craig Entwistle held the role this summer, but Wright, who is expected to play more often for Casey-South Melbourne in 2009/10, could replace him.
