By JOSIAH ALCHIN
THE year is 2014: South Sydney are flying, NSW has broken an eight-year State of Origin drought and Alex Johnston has just burst onto the scene. AJ debuted in round eight and found instant success, scoring a try and becoming a regular fixture in the South Sydney lineup. Fast forward to the end of the season and Johnston finished 2014 with a premiership (the first one in 40-odd years for Souths), as the top tryscorer of the NRL with 21 tries in 18 matches and with a newfound love for the once embattled club.
Johnston went from strength to strength and in 2015 made his debut for the Indigenous All-Stars in the match against the NRL All-Stars. Two thousand and fifteen was a massive season for Johnston as he joined the Rabbitohs heading over to England to play in the World Club Challenge. That season was a breakout one as he played for Australia, was named 18th man for NSW and led South Sydney in tries scored at the end of the season.
AJ continued his strong form as the years went on, even though the Rabbitohs did not. A lull in team performances was fine for Alex as he kept scoring tries and playing his heart out. When injury struck Greg Inglis in 2017 AJ was moved to fullback, instantly showing his versatility and ability to adapt to any situation. The 2019 season came and Johnston was named the club’s first-choice fullback however a knee injury made it a quiet year for the superstar winger.
Two thousand and twenty was a strange year for everyone. Covid 19 was in full effect and the game of rugby league was stopped across the nation as people battled with isolation. When the NRL season got an all-clear to resume, AJ wasted no time in doing what he did best … scoring tries. By the middle of that season, it was reported that Johnston was leaving the club, with a few teams interested. Alex Johnston wrote a letter to coach Wayne Bennett expressing how much he loved this club and that he wanted to stay.
In 2021, Souths got all the way through to the grand final against the Penrith Panthers. Johnston was awarded the Ken Irvine Medal for becoming the league’s top try scorer with 27 and then scored another three tries in finals, taking his tally to 30 and breaking a club record. In 2022 AJ scored another 30 tries and became the first player in history to score 30 tries in two consecutive seasons.
As the seasons continued, Johnston began to rise in the tryscoring ranks and in 2024 scored his 190th try, moving him to equal third all time. In 2026 Johnston became the Premiership’s top all-time tryscorer, at title which was held by Ken Irvine (212). Johnston scored try 213 against arch rivals Sydney Roosters in round two.
AJ has represented Australia and his home country of Papua New Guinea 12 times between 2019-2025. Johnston has always aspired to play for Papua New Guinea in the NRL and as of last week he made that dream come true announcing that he will be signing for the new PNG Chiefs franchise in 2028. AJ said that he “felt blessed” and felt that it was an obligation to honour his family and his grandmother in representing the NRL’s newest team.
With 221 tries to his name and over 250 games played, AJ is not slowing down. Throughout all his seasons of rugby league, one thing is still true; Alex Johnston is a superstar of the game. He is a player that team-mates want to play for and opponents hate playing against. Alex Johnston may be the Chiefs’ latest signing but at heart he has been ready his whole life.
