Sport
18 March, 2026
AJ breaks rugby league’s record of records
This week, Oscar Medd takes a look at Alex Johnston breaking rugby league's record of records.
We all love seeing records broken. Sometimes it happens often, but other times a record can stand for years and even decades.
Last Friday night (March 13) rugby league fans saw one of those special moments when South Sydney winger Alex (AJ) Johnston broke the NRL’s all time try scoring record during the rivalry, Rabbitohs and Roosters clash.
Johnston scored his 213th career try to break the long standing record held by North Sydney and Manly-Warringah legend Ken Irvine.
Irvine scored 212 tries in 236 premiership matches between 1958 and 1973.
Irvine’s record had stood since his retirement, which means it lasted for more than 50 years.
That is a very long time in sport.
Irvine himself took almost a half-century to break the previous record, which was previously held by Harold Horder, who scored 152 tries in only 136 premiership games while representing South Sydney and North Sydney between 1912 and 1924.
Johnston has scored all his 213 tries for the Rabbitohs, where he has now played 245 NRL games for South Sydney since debuting against Brisbane on ANZAC Day, 2014.
It looked like the perfect night for Rabbitohs fans as Johnston crossed the line and the crowd celebrated the moment.
Unfortunately for Souths supporters, the Roosters spoiled the party by winning the match.
You can imagine Russell Crowe is busy this week adding that to his book of Rabbitohs versus Roosters feuds.
Johnston’s achievement shows just how hard it is to break records in sport. Some records stand for a long time because they are incredibly difficult to beat.
In baseball one of the most famous records belongs to Joe DiMaggio. In 1941 he managed to get a hit in 56 games in a row. That means every single game for nearly two months he hit the ball safely. Many great players have tried to beat it but no one has managed to get close to 56 games.
Another baseball record that seems almost impossible belongs to Cal Ripken Jr. He played 2,632 games in a row without missing one. That streak lasted more than 16 seasons. Imagine turning up to school every single day for 16 years and never missing a day. That is pretty much what Ripken did in baseball. He was a short stop and third baseman which is an athletic position and most players miss a game or two in the season with muscle issues or an injury to a finger, even getting pity by a pitch when they bat.
Australia also has some amazing records. In cricket the greatest example belongs to Don Bradman. His batting average of 99.94 is one of the most famous numbers in sport.
Most great players average around 50, so Bradman was nearly double that and its unlikely to ever be broken with Test cricket more aggressive and lasting less days it will be harder to average more than 50.
In Australian rules, Brent Harvey holds the record for the most AFL games played with 432. To last that long you need talent, toughness and probably a very good ice bath after games.
Records are what make sport exciting. Some get broken quickly, but others last for generations. Who knows, maybe one day someone will break Alex Johnston’s record. But if it lasts another 50 years, that would be pretty special too.
