John Northey

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John "Swooper" Northey (born June 29, 1943) is a former Australian rules football player and coach.

Northey was a dual premiership player at the Richmond Football Club and is probably best known, however, for his coaching.

After retiring as a player, Northey took up assistant VFL coaching positions, where he stayed for 14 years until the opportunity to coach at senior level presented itself. He coached 315 VFL/AFL games including stints at Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions, Melbourne Demons and Richmond Tigers. He was known for his ability to rebuild struggling clubs, managing to produce results at all of these clubs, however in his most successful coaching season, he took the Demons to the 1988 Grand Final, only to lose. At the end of his AFL coaching career he went on to coach South Fremantle Football Club in the WAFL.

He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Northey now lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland.