2025 ASSRL Nationals live stream: Knights halfback Chase Butler set to lead NSW CCC

Emerging Knights playmaker Chase Butler is set to lead NSW CCC at the ASSRL U18 Nationals – and there’s one part of his game the halfback shares with an NRL Immortal.

Growing up in the Hunter and playing halfback for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs and All Saints College, it’s no surprise Chase Butler has been compared to Andrew ‘Joey’ Johns.

It is a weight of expectation that the NSW Combined Catholic College’s playmaker hasn’t just borne, but risen to.

Butler will take the reins of the NSW CCC side as they aim for a third-straight national title at the ASSRL Under-18 National Championships.

Every game of the tournament will be live and exclusive on KommunityTV from July 14-20.

All Saints College head of sport Elliott Plank has watched the rise of Butler rather closely in recent years.

Chase Butler. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

While he was quick to suggest comparisons to NRL’s eighth Immortal were premature, he said there was one area of the Knights’ junior’s game that was unmistakably ‘Joey-esque’.

“Chase does all the little things well, just like his defensive attitude,” Plank said.

“That is one comparison you can make to Joey, defensively he just loves to rip in and do the work. He is a halfback that you don’t want to run at.

“The opposition certainly won’t run over the top of him.”

Johns was known as the unsuspecting hit man in his playing days, never afraid to drop his shoulder into contact and left plenty of backrowers thinking twice about running his direction.

Another area Butler models his game off the great one is with his boot.

With the size in their forward pack, thanks in large part to a massive Patrician Brothers Blacktown contingent, NSW CCC will be relying on Butler’s kicking game to turn opposition sides around.

NSW CCC has won the past two U18 boys titles. Picture: John Gass

“He is a real confident player and a leader on the field,” Plank said.

“He will just kick teams apart. He is kicking them to death.

“He has definitely been working on it. I have seen a massive improvement over the last couple of months. He is very smart about where he kicks and turns the ball over. He has that knowledge and football IQ.”

Butler will be partnered in the halves by Patrician Brothers Fairfield star Jeziah Papa, while Patrician Brothers Blacktown’s Cameron Bamblett will wear the No. 1 jersey.

Check out the NSW CCC squad below.

NSW CCC U18s SQUAD

Jasais Ah Kee (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Cameron Bamblett (Patrician Brothers College Blacktown), Hunter Bell (St Dominic’s College), Chase Butler (All Saints College), Jace Cox (St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead), Diesel Hagan (St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead), Cody Hill (Marcellin College), Nathan Howlett (Gilroy Catholic College), Andes Johansson (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Mercellus Lakopo (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Creighton Meafou (Edmund Rice), Cooper Morrison (Edmund Rice), Steven Nunn (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Fletcher O’Doherty (St Mary’s Catholic College), Christopher Petrus (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Christian Taupau-Moors (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Roman Tuaimau (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Jeziah Va’aiga Papa (Patricians Brothers Fairfield), Steven Whalan (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Charlie Xuerub (Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown)

Originally published as 2025 ASSRL Nationals live stream: Knights halfback Chase Butler set to lead NSW CCC