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Sport Nation
Johnston becomes second player in history to score 200 tries
Sam Kosack • June 1st, 2025 6:33 pm
Alex Johnston has become the second player to score 200 tries in the South Sydney Rabbitohs' 30-36 loss to the New Zealand Warriors.
In his 231st try, Johnston scored a hat-trick as the Rabbitohs went painfully short of a comeback win, scoring in the 27th, 58th, and 62nd minutes of the game.
Johnston became the first player in history to score 30 tries in consecutive seasons back in 2021/22, and seemed to be rapidly closing in on Ken Irvine's all-time record of 212.
Injuries have slowed Johnston's sprint to the record, only scoring 13 tries over the last two seasons including today, but the Rabbitohs' junior's hat-trick means he is the first player in history to score 200 tries for one club.
200 tries is a remarkable feat, particularly in rugby league's modern era with Daniel Tupou the next closest current player on 169, and SEN League's Jimmy Smith reflected on the significance of the moment.
"It's an extraordinary strike rate, absolutely," Smith commented.
"If it happened in 1950, you'd say ah well, but it is happening right before our very eyes."
Latrell Mitchell set up two of Johnston's three tries with superb long passes, showing no sign of an Origin hangover.
The superstar fullback had a try, two try assists, two line breaks, and two line break assists to nearly snatch what would have been a famous at 30-12 down with 20 minutes remaining.
SEN League commentator Justin Horo was in disbelief after Mitchell set up Johnston for his 200th try.
"He is the ultimate showman in our game!" Horo said.
"What a player!
"What a five minutes the Rabbitohs, Latrell Mitchell, and Alex Johnston are having."
Jimmy Smith was similarly in awe.
"We are in the presence of rugby league royalty," Smith said in commentary.
"People think I go over the top on the afternoons program, they ain't seen nothing yet!
"That is absolutely superb from Latrell Mitchell!"
While the Warriors nearly let their 18-point lead slip, a double to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck ensured the visitors would walk away with the two points, lifting them to second on the live NRL ladder.
It was a victory soured by injury however, as co-captain Mitch Barnett was helped from the field with a potentially serious knee injury.
There are fears Barnett has suffered an ACL injury, which would end his season, and be a massive blow to the Warriors' premiership hopes.
It would also give Laurie Daley selection headaches with an ACL or MCL injury likely to rule Barnett out for the rest of the Origin period.
Terrell May was a surprise omission from Game I and could come in to replace Barnett should he be ruled out, while Storm prop Stefano Utoikamanu is another possible replacement given his time in the squad for Game I.
Rabbitohs' forward Keaon Koloamatangi is another potential selection after another enormous performance in the middle, making 39 tackles and eight tackle breaks, and running for 197 metres.
