Machibet777 AffiliateNRL 2025: NRL stars to create history at Asian Championships with Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong

Author: Brad Walter NRL Senior Reporter
Timestamp: Thu 27 Nov 2025, 11:47 AM

Boom Rabbitohs playmaker Tylan Berryman will help to create history for the newly formed Singapore Rugby League when the Memerang take on Japan in the opening match of the 2025 Asian Championships in the Philippines.

Berryman, who played for South Sydney’s SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams this year, qualifies for Singapore through his grandmother and will wear the No.7 jersey in the island state’s international rugby league debut.

The Memerang and Samurais will kick off the four-team tournament when they meet in the opening match at International School Manila on Thursday, October 27, before Philippines take on Hong Kong.

The two winners will meet in the final on Saturday, October 29, while the two losers will play off for third place.

Teenage Rabbitohs halfback Tylan Berryman and rugby union convert Tiernan O'Rourke will partner in the halves for Singapore's international rugby league debut. ©Singapore Rugby League

The nations arrived in Manila earlier this week and attended a function to launch the inaugural Asian Championships, which is set to become the region’s flagship rugby league tournament.

IRL coach and match official tutors have also conducted technical education courses for up to 40 participants in the lead up to the tournament.

The teams are mostly made up of local players with a sprinkling of heritage players, including 19-year-old Berryman, whose uncle is former All Blacks great Norm Berryman and who also qualifies for Cook Islands.

Berryman is one of four players with NRL links in the tournament, with former Rabbitohs Under 20s fullback Jake Tobin also named in the Singapore squad.

He will partner in the halves with 21-year-old rugby union convert Tiernan O’Rourke, who was born and raised in Singapore.

Brothers Tai, Harry and Sammy Hooper from Japan and Singapore siblings Liam, Connor and Fynn Postlethwaite could create international rugby league history if they go head-to-head in the opening match.

Tai Hooper, who has played for Japan since 2022, will captain a Samurais side which includes siblings Harry and Sammy, while the trio of Postlethwaite brothers have been named in Singapore’s squad for the tournament.

Japan prepared for the Asian Championships with a match against Niue in October. ©Japanese Rugby League

Liam and Connor have both represented Singapore in Rugby 7s, with the latter discovering rugby league while studying in Sydney. Fynn is in the squad as a development player and will play in the new Singapore Rugby League competition in 2026.

Former Melbourne Storm playmaker Paul Sheedy has come out of international retirement to represent the Philippines and is one of six heritage players in the Tamaraws squad.

Sheedy was an Australian Schoolboys rugby union halfback who joined the Storm in 2001 before later returning to the rival code with NSW Waratahs.

The local players have been playing in the domestic Philippines competition for five years and have been members of a national training pool program for the past two seasons, training weekly from February to September.

The squad includes England-based Judd Greenhaigh, who was a member of the Philippine Volcanoes rugby union team which recently won the Asian Cup.

Among the local players are brothers Lito and JR Ramirez from Cavite province, who play for Manila Storm and will be centre partners for the Tamaraws.

The Hong Kong China squad features an exciting blend of seasoned internationals and promising new blood, with 10 debutants named in the 23-man squad for the Asian Championships.

Former Mackay Cutters forward Blake Atherton will captain the side, while ex-Sydney Roosters Under 20s prop Toby Lei, experienced second rower Jason Yip and halfback Gus Spence will also provide leadership.

Philippines

Jonel Madrona (Pampanga Panthers); Jordan Abanico (Gorillas RLC), Lito Ramirez (Manila Storm RL), JR Ramirez (Manila Storm RL), John Denmer Usman (Manila Storm RL); Isaac Rosario (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Nik Forrest (Hills Bulls RL); Dylan Jones (Dudley Magpies), Paul Sheedy (Tugan Seahawks), Judd Greenhalgh (West Warriors London), Joshua Pilic (Manila Storm RL), Juan Carlos Almonte (St Patricks JRLC), James Osias (Manila Storm RL); Joe Mari Rauras (Pampanga Panthers), Manuel Olondriz (Gorillas RLC), Juliann Viktor Feleo (Manila Storm RL), Henry Larriestan (Pampanga Panthers).

Japan (squad)

Harry Hooper, Sammy Hooper, Geo Louw, Reo Ozawa, Brett Reid, Scott Wilson, Kazan Watanabe, Mikey Peters, Mark Huata, Sean Hasegawa, Taj Ohem, Kazuki Otake, Tai Hooper, Manueli Nawalu, Liam Mortimer, Yasutake Furuta, Joshua Bates, Jaxon Rodgers, Alex Boyle.

Singapore

Andy Hoang, Brannon Noble, Connor Postlethwaite, Cuba Cleaven-Vanderlaak, Edward Negus, Gerald Yeo, Harresh Krishnan, Jacob Lee, Jake Tobin, Kayden Chia, Liam Oakley, Liam Postlethwaite, Lucius Yau, Rahul Baskar, Shawn Kang, Tiernan O’Rourke, Tom Chamberlain, Tylan Berryman, Tyreeq Salleh-Meadows, Tyrell Anton, Wayne Baxter. Development Players: Brendan Liu, Fynn Postlethwaite, Oliver McKimmie.

Hong Kong China

Toby Lei, Jason Yip, Blake Atherton, Kenta Brown, Doug O’Donnell, Matthew Jones, Tommy Lee, Andrew Welling, Kayne Chan-Kitchener, Luke Linssner,
Mark Andrews, Wilson Yeung, Gus Spence, Nelson Chan, Callum Man, Michael Chiu, Angus Mok, Harrison Speed, Juan Claude Richards, Ron Tavodi, Samson Kwok, Teva Chueng.