In-form rookie Johnston to start for Rabbitohs in preliminary final against arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters.
South Sydney's all-time leading try-scorer Nathan Merritt has announced his retirement after 13 seasons and 236 games.
"I'm proud to have worn the red and green," Merritt said yesterday.
"It's been a remarkable ride ... something I never thought I would do."
Merritt broke Benny Wearing's long-standing Rabbitohs all-time try-scoringrecord with his 145th first grade try in round six against Penrith, but has played only two games since.
Coach Michael Maguire has preferred rookie Alex Johnston, who has 16 tries in 19 games and will play in Souths' preliminary final against bitter arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium tomorrow night.
Merritt has spent all but two of his seasons with the Rabbitohs, playing with Cronulla in 2004 and 2005.
Meanwhile, South Sydney's Greg Inglis says his injured hip badly needed the week off the Rabbitohs earned with their qualifying win over Manly. Inglis angrily slapped his hip when he was run down by Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce in the bitter arch-rivals' last clash in round 26, won by the premiers. However Inglis said former NSW playmaker Pearce wasn't given the credit he deserved for the chase.
Pearce also showed his pace in outsprinting the North Queensland cover defence in the world club champions' dramatic 31-30 win last weekend, racing 95m to score after scooping up an errant Michael Morgan kick.
Inglis said the Rabbitohs were not paying attention to the weight of history bearing down on them ahead of the ANZ Stadium clash with the Roosters, as they attempt to qualify for their first grand final since 1971.
"No disrespect to past players, we can't control what has been done in the past, we can only control what will be done from here on in."
