Three games to go, three tries needed to join Ken Irvine, four required to stand alone at the summit.

That’s the tale of the tape as South Sydney’s favourite son, Alex Johnston, closes in on one of rugby league’s most enduring records.

Can the 30-year-old draw level with Irvine this weekend by matching his best ever haul against the Eels of three in Round 12, 2021, when the Rabbitohs won 38-20.

In 15 games against the Eels across his career Johnston has scored 18 tries while his record in Round 24 matches across the years is 12 tries in nine games.

Or will history be made in Round 25 at Accor Stadium, where he boasts an outrageous strike rate of 95 tries in 97 games, including two hauls of five tries – against the Panthers in 2017 and Roosters in 2020.

Johnston has nine tries in 14 games against the Dragons including a best haul of three tries in Round 12, 2020 at Jubilee Stadium.

The Rabbitohs have a bye in Round 26 before bringing the curtain down on their season at Allianz Stadium in a showdown with old rivals the Roosters in Round 27.

If the script writers have their way then Allianz Stadium against the Chooks would seem the perfect place for Johnston to break the record that has stood for more than five decades.

The rivalry between the Rabbitohs and Roosters is as old as the game itself and the men from Redfern would love nothing better than the history books to show that A.Johnston became rugby league’s greatest ever tryscorer on September 5, 2025 with a trademark leap into the corner against the Bondi boys.

TALE OF THE TAPE
‘AJ’ vs Eels

18 tries in 15 games
Best: 3 tries in Round 12, 2021 at Stadium Australia


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Johnston has another hat-trick at Stadium Australia

‘AJ’ vs Dragons

9 tries in 14 games
Best: 3 tries in Round 12, 2020 at Netstrata Jubilee


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Another intercept, another try for Johnston

‘AJ’ vs Roosters

18 tries in 23 games
Best: 5 tries in Round 20, 2020 at ANZ Stadium


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All five Alex Johnston tries against the Roosters

‘AJ’ at Allianz Stadium

9 tries in 17 games
Best: 2 tries on three occasions

‘AJ’ at Accor Stadium

95 tries in 97 games
Best: 5 tries on two occasions