Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it will be worth the fine after he joined thousands of fans who stormed the field on Friday night to celebrate a record-breaking moment.

South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnson broke the NRL record for the most tries scored during his team’s 26-18 loss to Sydney Roosters.

Johnson entered the history books during the first set after halftime, when a break down the left edge ended with his 213th career try, and second of Friday’s sold-out game.

Johnston had earlier grabbed a Latrell Mitchell flick pass to score his first try of the night and equal Ken Irvine’s mark of 212, which the legendary winger set in 1973.

Johnson said the fans swarming the ground was overwhelming.

“It’s something I probably won’t get over ever in my life. It’s something I’ll always remember,” Johnston said.

“I enjoyed it for about a minute and then I was like, ‘Get me out of here!.

“It was pretty crazy. It was full on, I honestly was struggling to breathe. It was so hot in there.”

Fans were undeterred by the prospect of $5,500 fines, having booed earlier in the game when the big screen displayed warnings against entering the field.

Die-hard Rabbitohs scarf-wearing Albanese said a fine was “worth it to be part of history”.

“I was on the Souths board when we got kicked out of the comp, and 100,000 people marched through the streets of Sydney, ‘South Sydney ’til I die’, as the slogan went,” he said after the game in an interview with Billy Slater.

“And a great moment for Alex Johnston.

“He’s been an extraordinary player but he’s also a great man, he’s so humble. And it was a great moment for rugby league and a great moment for South Sydney.”

Albanese presented Johnston with a commemorative game ball after full-time as the NRL paid tribute to the 31-year-old.

Security presence was increased for the round-two clash after Souths players and coach Wayne Bennett had this week urged supporters not to invade the pitch.

The majority took around five minutes to return to the stands as the ground announcer reminded the crowd that “we’ve got a game of rugby league to play”.

“We just stood on the sidelines for a bit and just watched people run everywhere. There were kids to 80-year-olds out there. It was pretty wild,” said Roosters captain James Tedesco.

Players then took refuge in the dressing sheds amid the chaos as a handful of the more sluggish supporters were detained by security and police.

Sporting a new jersey with a golden No.2 on its back, Johnston applauded and waved to the crowd when the teams returned to the pitch.

Play resumed roughly 15 minutes after his try had helped Souths level the scores at 12-12 and sparked the momentous scenes in the northern in-goal.

In commentary for Fox Sports, NRL legend Cooper Cronk called Johnston’s feat “the greatest moment in our game’s history for a long period of time”.

But Johnston’s unforgettable effort wasn’t enough to prevent the Roosters bouncing back from their hefty round-one loss, with a narrow win on Friday in front of 41,424 spectators.

Around 10 minutes after the resumption, the Roosters shifted right to reclaim the lead through Johnston’s opposite man Mark Nawaqanitawase, who narrowly remained in the field of play as he planted the ball down.

A Sam Walker penalty goal had the Roosters eight points in front, before Jack Wighton poked a kick through the line for Campbell Graham.

Mitchell’s sideline conversion put the Rabbitohs back within two, before Tedesco sealed the win by planting Daly Cherry-Evans’ grubber down in the final minute.

Cherry-Evans had earlier opened the scoring by stepping inside for his first try in Roosters colours.

A moment’s silence was observed prior to kick-off, at the Roosters’ first home game since the Bondi Beach terror attack, which happened less than 5km away, in December.

-with AAP