Alex Johnston is the NRL's all-time leading tryscorer.
The Koedal Klan Sabai man has broken Ken Irvine's 212 try record, which had stood for more than half a century.
The stars had aligned for Johnston to carry out the feat in the game's fiercest and most historic contest when his South Sydney met the Roosters at Allianz Stadium, having moved within one try of Irvine's tally against the Dolphins last weekend.
Johnston crossed for the Bunnies' on the night in the 30th minute, before bearing down on the record from distance seconds into the second half.
Please to stop supporters from celebrating the history feat were to no avail.
Johnston, a South Sydney junior now sits on top of the game's tally in his 245th first grade game and 13th season.
He had already written his name into the record books surpassing another record long-held by Irvine.
Against the Tigers in July 2023, Johnston eclipsed 50 games scoring two or more tries with his hat-trick on the night - the most in NSWRL/NRL history.
HISTORY MADE 👏 pic.twitter.com/U8FC4oztYg
— NRL (@NRL) March 13, 2026
The Indigenous All Star and Papua New Guinea international and career-long Rabbitoh has four times finished on top of the competition's try scoring tally for a season, remarkably claiming the honours in his debut year in 2014.
Johnston crossed over 21 times en route to a drought-breaking premiership with the Bunnies over a decade ago.
He scored the opening points in Souths' 30-6 win over the Bulldogs.
Since 2018, the season's leading tryscorer has been awarded the Ken Irvine medal - won by Johnston in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
His journey towards the history feat hit some roadblocks, if not periods of doubt it would happen, after lengthy interruptions through injury in recent seasons.
An Achilles rupture ended Johnston's 2024 season in July of that year, with upper and lower body setbacks limiting him to 16 games last year.
Johnston put pen to paper on an extension for 2026 and 2027 mid-way through 2025.
"Alex is the greatest try scorer our Club has seen and is on track to become the greatest try scorer in the sport's history in this country," Souths recruitment head Mark Ellison said.
"He is a South Sydney junior from the La Perouse Panthers club, he is an inspiration to so many young footballers from our district, across the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community as well as the people of Papua New Guinea."
Roosters winger Daniel Tupou, 34 - three years older than Johnston, trails the closest behind amongst current players on the all-time tryscoring list at fourth with 183 across his career.
Josh Addo-Carr is next, at equal-10th all-time, with 159.
Speaking to NRL.com earlier this week, Johnston said he is "lucky" to have gotten so close to the mantle.
"It will mean a lot to me and my family, first and foremost. But for Indigenous people, Papua, New Guinean people, young kids, hopefully it just gives them a little bit of inspiration to see someone like them breaking a record like this," Johnston said.
"Hopefully they can get inspired and think that one day they can do the same."
Ahead of facing the Roosters, Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett, who has led Johnston in two seperate patches across his career, said the games newest and previous long-standing record holders have plenty in common.
"If you look at Ken Irvine, (Johnston) is pretty similar to him. Not big guys, they don't run over the top of them. They just get there with skill...great anticipation and a feel for the game," Bennett said.
"Some of the tries that Alex has scored - you put other wingers in that position, they wouldn't score those tries."
Alex Johnston career
245 games, 213 tries (at time of publishing)
Indigenous All Stars (four appearances)
Papua New Guinea (12 appearances)
NRL season leading tryscorer: 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022
Most tries in a season: 30 (2021, 2022)
Dally M winger of the year 2022
