ABC News
source: ABC / Website
The Roosters have locked in their spot in the NRL finals with a 36-6 win over rivals South Sydney, denying Alex Johnston a chance to break Ken Irvine’s try-scoring record.
Johnston came into the final game of the season needing two to equal and three to surpass Irvine’s all-time Australian premiership rugby league record of 212 tries, with the NRL forbidding fans from storming the field to celebrate the historic moment.
But the league need not have bothered as the Rabbitohs rarely threatened and winger Mark Nawaqanitawase instead had a field day up against Johnston, repeatedly leaping over him and even punching a potential try out of Rabbitohs veteran’s hands on the stroke of half-time.
Nawaqanitawase capped off his first full NRL season with another hat-trick, to take his tally for the year to 23 and all but assuring he will win the award named in Irvine’s honour as the league’s leading try-scorer.
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