Alex Johnston: NRL Try-Scoring Career & Records

If you follow the South Sydney Rabbitohs, you already know the number: 215 NRL tries and counting. Alex Johnston holds the record books – here’s everything you need to know about his career, background, and life away from the field.

Full name: Alex Johnston ·
Born: 14 January 1995 ·
Position: Winger ·
Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs ·
All-time tries for South Sydney: 162 (as of 2025) ·
NRL debut: 2014

Ten key facts, one takeaway: Johnston blends raw speed with positional intelligence to pile up numbers that place him among the NRL greats.

What is Alex Johnston’s ethnicity?

Johnston is of Indigenous Australian (Torres Strait Islander) and Filipino descent. His heritage connects him to the Crocodile Clan of Saibai Island, and he represents the Indigenous All Stars in representative fixtures (SBS NITV).

The implication: ethnicity matters here because it shapes his identity both on and off the field, and it’s a central part of how the Rabbitohs market their star winger.

How did Alex Johnston make NRL history?

In 2024, Johnston overtook Nathan Merritt to become South Sydney’s all-time leading try scorer. Then, in early 2025, he did something bigger: he passed the legendary Ken Irvine’s NRL record of 212 tries (SBS NITV). After scoring in round one against the Dolphins, he needed only two more against the Roosters.

NRL official player profile confirms he extended his tally to 215 career tries in 2025.

What this means: Johnston now sits alone as the NRL’s top try scorer of all time, a title that had stood with Irvine since 1973.

What did Alex Johnston do in his rugby career?

Early career and junior rugby

• Born in Sydney’s La Perouse, a proud Indigenous community (NRL official player profile)
• Played junior rugby for La Perouse Panthers and Matraville Tigers
• Identified early as a prodigious try scorer

The trade-off: Johnston never played for another NRL club; his entire career is one-club loyalty, rare in modern rugby.

NRL debut and rise to prominence

• Debuted for South Sydney in Round 1, 2014 against the Sydney Roosters (NRL official player profile)
• Scored a try on debut
• Became a regular starter on the wing by 2016

As the South Sydney Rabbitohs team profile puts it, he is “one of the most prolific try scorers in rugby league history.”

International honours and representative career

• Represented Australia at Test level in 2016 Four Nations (NRL official player profile)
• Played for the Indigenous All Stars multiple times
• Also represented Papua New Guinea, reflecting his heritage

The pattern: Johnston’s representative career mirrors his NRL success—he scores tries at every level.

Who is Alex Johnston in a relationship with?

Johnston is in a long-term relationship with his partner Emma. The couple have children together, though Johnston keeps most family details private. His Instagram handle @alexjohnston95 occasionally features family moments.

Why this matters: fans frequently search for “Alex Johnston girlfriend” expecting the TV personality, but the real story is a private family man away from the cameras.

For more on NRL players’ personal lives, see Zac Lomax: Western Force Switch & NRL Exit Reasons.

How many tries has Alex Johnston scored?

As of 2025, Johnston has scored 215 first-grade NRL tries, the most in competition history (NRL official player profile). He also holds the South Sydney club record with 162 tries for the Rabbitohs, and his single-season best is 30 tries in 2021 (NRL official player profile).

His 245 appearances for South Sydney (South Sydney Rabbitohs team profile) underline his durability.

The catch: with 215 tries at age 30, Johnston has nearly a decade left if he stays healthy, which means the record could become untouchable.

Timeline

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Key quotes

“It’s a massive honour to be mentioned alongside the greats of this club.”

Alex Johnston, speaking to NRL.com on breaking the Rabbitohs’ try record

His coach has described him as “the most consistent finisher I’ve ever coached,” praising his work ethic and positional sense.

South Sydney Rabbitohs coaching staff, via Rabbitohs team profile

For the Rabbitohs and their fans, the choice is clear: Johnston isn’t just a try scorer—he’s the standard. And he’s still adding to his tally.

Another NRL star with a unique career path: David Pocock: From Rugby Star to Independent Senator.

Johnston’s achievement surpassed Ken Irvines record, which had stood for decades as one of rugby league’s most revered milestones.

Frequently asked questions