South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has urged fans not to run on the field and celebrate with Alex Johnston if he breaks the all-time try scoring record this Friday as the winger hinted he would love to see the scenes. Johnston is two tries away from breaking Ken Irvine’s NRL record of 212 after scoring against the Dolphins in the Rabbitohs’ 40-30 win.

Johnston has the opportunity to do this against the Rabbitohs’ fiercest rivals as they take on the Roosters at Allianz Stadium this Friday. And the winger himself hinted it would be cool for the fans to come greet him during the game.

Wayne Bennett (pictured left) does not want to see fans enter the field when Alex Johnston (pictured far right) breaks the all-time NRL try scoring record. (Images: Getty Images/AAP)

This is despite supporters facing a $5,500 fine for entering the field of play. “It’s been on my mind,” Johnston told ABC Radio after his try in the Rabbitohs’ win over the Dolphins at Suncorp.

“I’m stressing. I want to get this record over and done with…it’d be cool for everyone to run on, but you didn’t hear it from me, mate.” Fans face a fine up to $5,500 if they run onto the field. Supporters can also be handed a ban for breaching the stadium rules.

While plenty of fans are keen for the NRL to make the scene a special moment in history and let supporters on for a brief moment, not all agree. South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Bennett does not want the NRL to budge on their stance.

The veteran coach feels the game doesn’t need to come to a halt if Johnston breaks the record this Friday. “No, I don’t,” Bennett said in his post-match press conference.

“It’s not our game. I don’t accept that it will probably happen and I don’t accept that it should happen. It is respect for the game. That is the important thing here. We play for 80 minutes and you stay off the field regardless. I believe in that.”

There are a number of issues with the spectacle. If the try is sent to the NRL Bunker, it could be overturned. This would see fans having to leave the field with Johnston not having broken the record.

Alex Johnston (pictured) could break Ken Irvine’s try scoring record on Friday.

(Mark Nolan via Getty Images)

The other issue is the extended break if it occurs. When Buddy Franklin broke the 1,000 goal mark in 2022 in the AFL, Sydney Swans fans stormed the field at the SCG. This is a tradition in the AFL and created a moment that was shown around Australia.

But the NRL hasn’t really invited these moments in the past because it stops the game for some time. Bennett admitted it would be too hard to control and it would be disrespectful to the opposing team.

“Сколько людей мы позволим на поле? Где это закончится? И сколько времени потребуется, чтобы снова началась игра?” – добавил он. “Давайте не поощрять это. Давайте убедиться, что это не произойдет, и будем уважать игру, его и всех, кто играет в эту игру.”

Легенды NRL не хотят, чтобы фанаты были на поле

Говоря о возможности того, что фанаты выйдут на поле, легенда “Penrith” Грег Александр был категоричен в том, что фанаты не могут нарушать игру. “Не выходите на поле, выходите на поле после игры. Давайте празднуем победу Алекса Джонстона после игры”, – сказал Александр в SEN Radio.

Радиоведущий Джимми Смит чувствовал, что NRL должна провести презентацию после игры, но они не должны позволять фанатам выходить на поле. Джонстону еще нужно два попытки, чтобы побить рекорд, и “Roosters” сделают все возможное, чтобы это не произошло в их игре второго раунда.

Алекс Джонстон (на фото) хочет, чтобы этот момент стал особенным, когда он побьет рекорд по количеству попыток в NRL.

(Камерон Спенсер через Getty Images)