The South Sydney Rabbitohs are preparing to unveil a statue dedicated to winger Alex Johnston, who recently broke the NRL try-scoring record.
This tribute will be situated outside Heffron Park, the Rabbitohs' newly established headquarters in Maroubra.
Johnston achieved this historic feat in a thrilling match against the Sydney Roosters, surpassing Ken Irvine's previous record of 212 tries, leading to fans flooding the field in celebration-a moment forever etched in rugby league history.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the statue was crafted three years ago in Thailand and has since been waiting for the perfect moment for its revelation, coinciding with Johnston's record-breaking achievement.
Efforts to honor Souths legend George Piggins with a statue in Redfern faced challenges due to local council rejections.
In contrast, the new Maroubra location has welcomed the idea of commemorating Johnston's milestone, and chief executive Blake Solly has expressed his appreciation to the Randwick City Council.
"We're very grateful for Randwick Council's support, and given that Alex is a La Perouse and Souths junior, it's fitting the statue will be in the Randwick LGA," said South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly.