Adelaide United has named midfielder Adriana Taranto as captain of its A-League Women side for the 2026/27 season, with new signing Tianna Harris announced as vice-captain.
The club confirmed the leadership group at its Playford training base, where the Reds are in pre-season under head coach Theo Tsiounis. Paige Zois joins Taranto and Harris in the senior leadership group, while Ilona Melegh and Sian Dewey have been given emerging leadership roles.
Taranto, a Matildas midfielder, said the appointment was not something she took lightly. "It's a very special thing that I don't take lightly at all," she said.
"To have the trust of my teammates and the coaching staff is a huge thing for me, something that I've always wanted, and to be able to do it at this club is super special," she said.
Taranto made 20 appearances in her first season at Adelaide United last year, helping the club reach the finals in consecutive seasons for the first time in its history. She was selected as captain through a process that included player voting and interviews.
Asked why she thought teammates and staff had backed her, Taranto pointed to her willingness to speak up. "If you ask the girls, probably because I talk too much. If you ask Theo, probably because I complain too much," she said.
She said she saw the role as a responsibility to raise issues on behalf of the squad. "When things maybe aren't going well or there are things that I think we need as a team, I'm the first one to put my hand up and say something and make sure the girls get what they need," she said.
Taranto said her non-negotiables were effort, intensity and contribution from every player at training, regardless of outside commitments. "Sometimes we're coming from work or we've worked long hours and we're there early in the morning and maybe you're not feeling 100 per cent, but giving what you have that day is something that we really push at training," she said.
Harris, a Jamaican international defender, joined Adelaide United on a one-year deal for the coming season. Taranto said she did not see leadership as a solitary job. "There are so many great leaders, and I think I'm a type of leader who likes to work with other people. So the fact that I've got them to lean on is super helpful," she said.
She said her approach on the field would stay the same now that she wore the armband. "On the pitch, I'm going to be that same aggressive, loud player that I am," she said.
Adelaide United begin their 2026/27 A-League Women campaign away against Sydney FC on Sunday, October 18. "We're so excited, looking forward to round one, and I think this is going to be a really special one with this group," Taranto said.