Chasing history: Tracking AJ's quest to run down Irvine

The eyes of the rugby league world turn to Allianz Stadium on Friday night as South Sydney's favourite son Alex Johnston chases a hat-trick to take over the mantle as the game's greatest ever tryscorer.

The 30-year-old is closing in on Ken Irvine's premiership record of 212 tries that stood for more than five decades.

Irvine scored an incredible 171 tries in 178 games for North Sydney between 1958-70 before moving to Manly and racking up 41 tries in 60 games. He also won back-to-back premierships with the Sea Eagles in 1972-73.

With Souths having a bye in Round 26, Johnston has had to cool his jets for a fortnight since grabbing one try in the 40-0 win over the Dragons in Round 25.

That game was played at Accor Stadium, where Johnston now boasts an outrageous strike rate of 96 tries in 98 games, including two hauls of five tries - against the Panthers in 2017 and Roosters in 2020.

If the script writers have their way then Allianz Stadium against the Roosters would seem the perfect place for Johnston to break one of the game's most enduring records.

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 Roosters

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

'AJ' at Allianz Stadium

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