what record is alex johnston about to break
Short answer:
Alex Johnston was on the verge of breaking the National Rugby League’s
all‑time try‑scoring record, set by Ken Irvine, for most career tries in
premiership history.
What record is Alex Johnston about to break?
Alex Johnston, the South Sydney Rabbitohs winger and Papua New Guinea international, has been chasing one of rugby league’s most prestigious milestones: the NRL’s all‑time try‑scoring record.
That record belonged to legendary winger Ken Irvine, who long held top spot with 212 career tries in premiership matches.
By mid‑2025, Johnston had moved into serious striking distance of Irvine’s mark, sitting just a handful of tries behind.
In early March 2026, coverage highlighted that he had reached 211 tries, putting him just one or two scores away from creating history as the outright leading try‑scorer.
The specific record in simple terms
When people online ask “what record is Alex Johnston about to break,” they are referring to:
- Record: Most career tries in NRL premiership history (all‑time top try‑scorer).
- Old benchmark: 212 tries, set by Ken Irvine and standing for more than 50 years.
- Johnston’s chase:
- 206 tries and “six shy” of the record after a four‑try haul in 2025.
* 211 tries in March 2026, just two short of taking the record outright.
This is why forums, news sites, and fan discussions describe him as being on the brink of breaking “a once‑in‑a‑generation” or “half‑a‑century” record.
Why it’s such a big deal
- The try‑scoring record has stood for over half a century, unlike some other rugby league marks that have been passed multiple times.
- Commentators describe Johnston’s run as a rare moment that comes around “once or twice a century,” underlining how special it is.
- With Johnston still having years left in his career, some believe his new mark could itself be almost untouchable once he pushes it further.
TL;DR: Alex Johnston is (or was, depending on the exact timing of your question) about to break Ken Irvine’s long‑standing NRL record for the most tries ever scored in premiership history, becoming the competition’s all‑time leading try‑scorer.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.