South Sydney’s Alex Johnston has broken the NRL try scoring record.
Photo: ABC
Alex Johnston has become the greatest try-scorer in Australian rugby league history with a double against the Roosters, prompting fans to ignore the NRL’s pleas not to storm the field to celebrate.
The Rabbitohs lost the game 26-18 but it will forever be remembered for Johnston’s moments, tying the record on the end of a trademark left-side shift just before half-time and then breaking the record as he finished off an 80-metre team effort a minute into the second half.
HISTORY MADE pic.twitter.com/U8FC4oztYg
— NRL (@NRL) March 13, 2026
His second try of the night took him to 213 for his career, eclipsing Ken Irvine, who had sat in top spot since 1969.
Fans hopped the fence and mobbed Johnston, who was protected by security guards and teammates and was hoisted onto the shoulders of Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham.
“Pretty awesome, the crowd running on,” Johnston told ABC Sport after the game.
“Hopefully there were no fines.
“There was a lot of people out there. It really made it a special moment for me.”
The NRL had repeatedly, including a few hours before the game, warned fans they risked a A$5500 (NZ$6650) fine if they stormed the field but the pleas fell on deaf ears.
Johnston said it was an amazing moment to feel that support, but it quickly turned uncomfortable.
“I enjoyed it for about a minute and then I was like ‘get me out of here’,” he told reporters.
“It was pretty crazy, it was full on. I honestly was struggling to breathe and it was so hot in there. There was so many people tugging me and trying to get a piece, but it was an awesome feeling that first minute for sure.”
Fans storm the field to celebrate South Sydney’s Alex Johnston breaking the NRL try scoring record.
Photo: ABC
Even Souths fans and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was on the field briefly after the players were ushered off, and Johnston said he spoke to him but moved on quickly.
“Yep, next question,” he said in the post-match press conference.
Opposition captain James Tedesco said it was a “crazy” moment to be a part of.
“Once a couple of people jumped over the fence they all started coming,” he told reporters after the game.
“We stood on the sideline and watched people running on; there were kids to 80-year-olds out there.
“It was pretty wild… pretty crazy scenes.”
The players were ushered into the sheds by security, after which the fans were quickly dispersed back into the stands, with Johnston re-emerging after a 15-minute break wearing a gold number as Australian premiership rugby league’s greatest try-scorer.
The Roosters enjoyed the better second half as they sealed a victory over their cross-town rivals, but the night belonged to Johnston, who is happy to get back to playing footy now.
“This is a massive monkey off my back,” he said.
“I wanted to get it over and done with … and we can get back to team footy and get the season back on track.”
Earlier, the Warriors scored 40 unanswered points to beat the Raiders 40-6 in Auckland.
– ABC