Mason Tatafu
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mason Antony Čavka Tatafu | ||
| Date of birth | 17 April 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Australia | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hume City FC | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2014 | Perth SC | ||
| 2014–2021 | Perth Glory | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Hofstra Pride | 37 | (4) |
| 2023–2025 | Louisville Cardinals | 30 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2021 | Perth Glory NPL | 23 | (1) |
| 2020–2021 | Perth Glory | 3 | (0) |
| 2022 | Long Island Rough Riders | 18 | (0) |
| 2024 | Des Moines Menace | 7 | (1) |
| 2025– | Hume City | 2 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of July 2025 | |||
Mason Tatafu (born 17 April 2002) is an Australian professional footballer who plays primarily as a Centre-back for Hume City FC in the National Premier Leagues Victoria.
Career
Tatafu made his senior debut in July 2020 playing for Perth Glory NPL in National Premier Leagues Western Australia. He made his professional debut on 27 November 2020 against Ulsan Hyundai in the 2020 AFC Champions League.[1] On 20 January 2021, he made his A-League debut, coming on as a substitute for the final few moments of a 5–3 win over Adelaide United.[2]
In August 2021, Tatafu started college at Hofstra University and started playing for Hofstra Pride.[3][4][5]
At Hofstra, Tatafu made 37 appearances over two seasons, scored four goals, and helped the team win back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships in 2021 and 2022 — the program's first repeat titles since 2015 — while achieving their highest-ever NCAA RPI ranking at #8. He was named CAA Rookie of the Year, selected to the All-CAA Third Team, and ranked among the top 10 freshmen in the country by Top Drawer Soccer. In the 2022 offseason, he also played USL League Two with the Long Island Rough Riders, helping them reach their first USL2 National Final and being ranked as the #10 USL2 Top Prospect.
Tatafu transferred to the University of Louisville in August 2023, making 30 appearances and scoring twice. With Louisville, he reached the ACC semi-finals and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In 2024, he joined Des Moines Menace in USL2, scoring once in seven appearances as they won their division and reached the divisional final.
In June 2025, Tatafu returned to Australia, signing mid-season with Hume City FC in the National Premier Leagues Victoria. Primarily playing as a centre-back, he made two appearances totaling 75 minutes and scored once in his opening matches for the club.
References
- ^ "ULSAN VS. PERTH GLORY 2 - 0". uk.soccerway.com. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- ^ "PERTH GLORY VS. ADELAIDE UNITED 5 - 3". uk.soccerway.com. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "Mason Tatafu". Hofstra Pride. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ Coen, Andrew (10 September 2021). "Hofstra eyes Colonial Athletic Association title". LI Herald.
...along with local defenders Mason Tatafu and Shane Salmon in front of Speel in net.
- ^ Forman, Kenny (13 September 2021). "Men's soccer falls on road to Northeastern in CAA opener". The Hofstra Chronicle.
Holger Maaloe and Ryan Carmichael assisted freshman defender Mason Tatafu on the first goal of his collegiate career.
External links