Sport
23 May, 2026
Teen player gets closer to Matildas
A STAND-OUT performance from Innisfail’s own Addison Tanti has put her firmly on the national radar, after the rising soccer star helped Queensland White finish second in Australia at last month’s CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships in Melbourne.
Competing against the country’s best young footballers, Addison and her under-15 Queensland White teammates battled through Melbourne’s famously unpredictable weather of cold, wind, rain and sunshine across five top level hybrid and synthetic pitches.
Queensland White advanced to the under-15 girls’ final, where they faced New South Wales Sky in a hard fought match that ended in a 3-1 win to New South Wales, leaving Queensland as national runners-up. The squad opened the championships strongly, going undefeated on day one with wins over New South Wales Regional (2-1) and Western Australia (3-1). A 1-1 draw with Victoria White on day two kept them in the hunt, before another 1-1 draw with Northern New South Wales on day three secured them the top spot in their six team pool.
Queensland White then defeated South Australia 2-0 in the quarter final before a tense semi-final against New South Wales Navy. After finishing 1-1, the match went to penalties, with Isabel Knight slotting the decisive goal in a 4-3 shootout victory which sent the team into the national final.
Tanti, 14, described the experience as one she’ll never forget.
“It was one of the best times of my life,” she said.
“I made so many lifelong friends, got to play against the best in the country and learned so much both on and off the field.”
Her parents, Steven and Cassie Tanti, said watching her play at the home of the Matildas was a moment they’ll always cherish. “We are extremely proud of her and every moment it took for her to get there,” they said. “Addison deserved to be there, which showed on field with her incredible defence. To finish second in the country is such a fantastic achievement.”
Tanti and teammate Bridie McLeod travelled to Townsville and competed in the 13-15 years Peninsula soccer championships. The Peninsula side finished an impressive seventh out of 16 teams and Tanti capped off the tournament by taking home the players’ player and coaches’ awards.