Tom Jenkins, a winger for the Penrith Panthers, recently proposed that the NRL's leading tryscorer award be renamed in honor of Alex Johnston and the league's all-time top scorer, Ken Irvine.
Both players will share the Ken Irvine Medal for the current season after finishing Round 27 with a remarkable 30 tries each. The medal honors Irvine, who held the record for 53 years.
Jenkins expressed to reporters that renaming the award the Irvine-Johnston Medal would be appropriate, especially after Johnston broke Irvine's record of 212 tries earlier this year.
Johnston acknowledged Jenkins' proposal but stated that he prefers to defer any changes until after his playing career concludes. "Maybe not while I'm still playing," he said. "Maybe it's something that when it's all said and done it would be nice to leave a legacy like that."
At 31, Johnston is focused on leading the Rabbitohs to another NRL grand final victory, with aspirations after their 2014 premiership win. The Rabbitohs will face the Knights in the first elimination final this Friday at Allianz Stadium.
In the upcoming match, Jenkins and the Panthers will host the Roosters on Sunday, where the winner will advance to the preliminary final with a week off. Johnston has won the Ken Irvine Medal four times, previously leading the competition in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Reflecting on the competition with Jenkins, Johnston commented, "I just wanted to do my job of scoring tries, I was happy with that," recognizing Jenkins' promising future in the league.
Johnston's career remains strong, as he transitions to play for the Papua New Guinea Chiefs in their 2028 NRL debut after one more season with the Rabbitohs.