Johnston chasing new record as Ken Irvine Medal race heats up
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South Sydney winger Campbell Graham has backed teammate Alex Johnston to chase down Panthers rival Tom Jenkins as the race for the Ken Irvine Medal goes down to the wire.
Jenkins currently sits on top of the NRL's try-scoring tally with 28 tries but his pace has tailed off slightly in the past few weeks.
Johnston, on the other hand, is gaining steam at the right time of the year, scoring in five-straight games and four tries in the past fortnight to pull within two of the Penrith winger with three games to play.
Alex Johnston doing what Alex Johnston does
Jenkins will have a chance to extend his lead when the Panthers take on Melbourne on Thursday night, while Johnston will return to Accor Stadium for a Saturday evening blockbuster between the Rabbitohs and Warriors.
Johnston has scored a record 109 tries at the Homebush venue and Graham backed his teammate to surpass Jenkins before the season ends.
"I'd never doubt AJ," Graham said. "He's pulled it out in the back end a couple of times over his career. Tom Jenkins is having a great season as well, Penrith are flying, but I could never doubt AJ that he wouldn't get there.
"They might have to call it the Alex Johnston medal soon, it would be cool if he gets the Ken Irvine Medal again."
Match: Rabbitohs v Warriors
Round 25 -
home Team
Rabbitohs
7th Position
away Team
Warriors
3rd Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
It's been a history-breaking season for Johnston, who surpassed Irvine's all-time try-scoring record in memorable scenes at Allianz Stadium earlier this year.
The Rabbitohs will close out their campaign against fierce rivals the Roosters at the same venue in Round 27, with Johnston a chance of securing his fifth Ken Irvine Medal in the match.
The two that made history
The 31-year-old's try-scoring feats show no signs of slowing down, the winger needing just five more tries to break his own NRL-era record of 30 tries for a season set in 2022 and 2021.
Graham has had the fortune of working closely with Johnston throughout his career and credits the veteran for helping him develop into a Kangaroos representative.
"I pick his brain a fair bit," Graham said. "Defence is an area of his game that gets overlooked a bit, he's very intelligent defensively on the wing and makes great decisions in the moment.
"In terms of finishing ability, I can ask him about it, but actually doing it is another thing. He's got a knack for being in the right place at the right time and has the speed and intelligence to finish off a lot of tries.
"A lot of the time I sit back, watch him do his thing and marvel at it, but I also try to pick his brain as well."
There will be more than just individual records on the line over the next three weeks, with the Rabbitohs desperate to secure a home game in the opening week of the finals.
South Sydney have won back-to-back games to climb into seventh place and sent a major statement with a dominant victory over the Bulldogs last Friday.
Bulldogs v Rabbitohs – Round 24, 2026
They face another tough test against the Warriors this weekend but have the benefit of playing at a ground that has become a fortress in recent times.
The Rabbitohs have not lost at Accor Stadium all season, winning seven from seven at the ground. Their last defeat at the Olympic Stadium was in Round 16 last year, when Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked a golden-point field goal to sink the Bunnies.
It's a record that bodes well for the finals, given multiple sudden-death games and the grand final will be played at the venue.
Graham said it's important his side does not look too far ahead, with South Sydney desperate to secure another statement win in front of a big crowd on Saturday night.
"[The Warriors] have been very consistent all year and are one of the top teams," Graham said. "It will be a great test for us. There's a lot of noise around our performance last weekend but we know we can't hang our hat on that.
"It's going to take another big effort and we're going to have to go up a gear if we want to get the win this weekend. It'll be great to have that test coming into the back end of the season and finals."
