Matthew Bate

Matthew Bate (born 24 May 1987) is an Australian rules footballer and former player for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). At the conclusion of the 2012 AFL season, he was delisted by the Melbourne Football Club and subsequently drafted to the Essendon Football Club's reserve side in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Bate plays as a tall forward or midfielder. He won the Morrish Medal as best player in the TAC Cup in 2004. He was drafted 13th overall by Melbourne in the 2004 AFL Draft and made his AFL debut in Round 5 of the 2006 season.

Bate's achievements as a senior player include a nomination for the NAB AFL Rising Star award for his performance against Carlton in Round 18 of the 2006 season. In the 2007 season for Melbourne, Bate finished third in the club's Best and Fairest Award (the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal) with 179 votes; behind the winner James McDonald (260 votes) and fellow second season player Nathan Jones (190 Votes). In 2009 he came second in the club's goal kicking.