Tate Russell
 Russell with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tate Russell | ||
| Date of birth | 24 August 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Wollongong, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position | Right back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Wollongong Wolves | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2008 | Wollongong Olympic | ||
| 2008–2010 | Football NSW Project 22 | ||
| 2010–2014 | South Coast Wolves | ||
| 2015–2016 | Western Sydney Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2019 | Western Sydney Wanderers NPL | 49 | (1) |
| 2018–2024 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 85 | (5) |
| 2024–2025 | Western United | 27 | (1) |
| 2025– | Wollongong Wolves | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018–2019 | Australia U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Australia U23 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 October 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 January 2021 | |||
Tate Russell (born 24 August 1999) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a right back for Wollongong Wolves in the Australian Championship.[1]
Career
[edit]From Wollongong, Russell began his career in 2003 with the Wollongong Olympic Junior club before joining Football NSW's Project 22 in 2008.[2] He soon joined the South Coast Wolves in 2010 and stayed with the club for four years before joining the youth ranks at Western Sydney Wanderers.[2]
Western Sydney Wanderers
[edit]Russell was part of the 2017-18 Y-League championship winning Western Sydney Wanderers Youth team. He played the full game as they beat Melbourne City Youth 3–1 in the 2018 Y-League Grand Final on 3 February 2018.[3]
Russell signed his first contract with Western Sydney Wanderers on 6 June 2018, penning a two-year scholarship deal with the club.[4] He made his professional debut for Western Sydney in their Round 11 clash with Melbourne Victory on 5 January 2019, playing the full game as the Wanderers lost 2–1 at ANZ Stadium.[5]
Russell scored his first professional goal in a Round of 16 clash against Sydney United in the 2019 FFA Cup on 28 August 2019, driving a low volley into the bottom corner for the Wanderers' fifth as they ran out 7-1 winners.[6]
In pre-season training for the 2022/23 A-League season Russell suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, ruling him out for the entire season. 530 days after the injury he made his return to the league in Round 1 of the 2023/24 season. Despite the injury he earned an extended 2 season contract to keep him at the Wanderers until the 2024/25 season.
Western United
[edit]Russell left the Wanderers in June 2024 and joined Western United on a two year contract until the end of the 2025/26 season. In his first season he played in all but a handful of matches, scoring one goal as Western United finished 3rd in the A-League Premiership then fell at the semi-finals during the play-offs with a 4-1 aggregate loss to Melbourne City.
Following the suspension of Western United's participation ahead of the 2025–26 season, all players – including Russell – were released from their contracts in September 2025.[7][8]
International
[edit]Russell has four caps for the Australia U20 side.[9]
Personal life
[edit]Russell is an Indigenous Australian.[10]
He is the son of former Rugby league player Ian Russell.[11]
Honours
[edit]Club
[edit]Western Sydney Wanderers
References
[edit]- ^ "Russell comes home: A-League star joins Wollongong Wolves' Championship bid". www.illawarramercury.com.au. 22 September 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ^ a b Cohen, Mitch (7 July 2016). "Son of Steelers legend making his own way". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "Melbourne City U21 vs. Western Sydney W. U21 - 3 February 2018 - Soccerway".
- ^ "Wanderers secure young talent". 6 June 2018.
- ^ "Western Sydney Wanderers vs Melbourne Victory". Soccerway.
- ^ "FFA Cup: Wanderers smash Sydney United, Mariners knock-out Fowler's Roar on penalties".
- ^ "APL statement: An update on Western United Football Club". A-Leagues. 6 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Monteverde, Marco (8 September 2025). "United contracts terminated". news.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Tate Russell at Soccerway
- ^ "Tate Russell: Playing the Round Ball". 23 August 2016.
- ^ "Why the Russell family wandered from league to football". Goal.com. 10 January 2019.