Tom Jenkins is no longer just one of the NRL’s best finishers. The Penrith winger is now chasing a piece of rugby league history that has stood untouched for 91 years.
Jenkins has exploded into one of the stories of the 2026 NRL season, scoring tries at a rate rarely seen in the modern game. After crossing 20 times in his opening 13 matches, the Panthers flyer has put himself on track to challenge Dave Brown’s long-standing record of 38 tries in a season, set way back in 1935.
It is a remarkable rise for a player who, not that long ago, feared he could be squeezed out of Penrith altogether.
The Panthers have become masters at producing and replacing elite outside backs, but Jenkins has made himself impossible to ignore. His strike rate this season has not only pushed him into the Dally M conversation for wingers, it has also placed him within touching distance of Rhys Wesser’s Penrith club record of 25 tries in a season.
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That mark now feels like a matter of when, not if.
The bigger question is whether Jenkins can keep scoring at a pace strong enough to chase Brown’s all-time record. With Penrith again sitting near the top of the ladder and looking likely to feature deep into September, the winger could have enough games left to make a genuine run at one of rugby league’s most iconic records.
What makes Jenkins’ season even more impressive is the way he has turned himself into a genuine weapon in Penrith’s system. Playing outside one of the most structured attacking teams in the competition clearly helps, but finishing chances still requires timing, positioning, speed and confidence.
Right now, Jenkins has all four.
His combination with Penrith’s spine and edge players has become one of the most reliable try-scoring avenues in the competition. Whether it is finishing in the corner, supporting breaks through the middle or capitalising on defensive errors, Jenkins has developed the knack every great winger needs.
He is always where the ball ends up.
There is also a contract layer to the story.
Jenkins recently secured his future at Penrith despite rival interest and salary cap pressure around the premiers. In a club stacked with representative stars, keeping a winger in this type of form suddenly looks like an important piece of business.
Penrith fans have seen plenty of elite finishers come through the club in recent years, from Brian To’o to Taylan May and Sunia Turuva. Jenkins is now building a case to be mentioned among the most prolific of them.
The next few months will determine just how historic this season becomes.
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Breaking Wesser’s Panthers record would be special. Getting anywhere near Brown’s 91-year-old mark would be extraordinary.
But the fact Jenkins is even part of that conversation says everything about the season he is putting together.
