| John Northey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | John Neville Northey | ||
| Nickname(s) | Swooper | ||
| Date of birth | (1943-06-29)29 June 1943 (age 81) | ||
| Original team(s) | Derrinallum | ||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Half forward flank | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1963–1970 | Richmond | 118 (192) | |
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1985 | Sydney Swans | 22(6–16–0) | |
| 1986–1992 | Melbourne | 167(90–76–1) | |
| 1993–1995 | Richmond | 67(32–34–1) | |
| 1996 | Brisbane Bears | 25(17–7–1) | |
| 1997–1998 | Brisbane Lions | 34(12–21–1) | |
| Total | 315 (157–154–4) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1998. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
John Neville Northey (born 29 June 1943) is a formerAustralian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with theRichmond Football Club. Northey was a dual premiership player with Richmond, winning flags in 1967 and 1969. He is better known, however, as a coach.
A Derrinallum recruit, the lightly framed Northey was a fleetfooted runner and earned the "swooper" nickname by his ability to get the ball and pass it on to a teammate. He played 118 games and kicked 192 goals forRichmond from 1963 until 1970. He also was a member of Richmond's1967 and1969 premiership teams.[1][2]
Northey left Richmond and moved to Sydney as player/coach at Western Suburbs in the Sydney Football League. He coached NSW against a VFL Reserves team in 1972 and then Redan to fiveBFL premierships between 1975 and 1980. He was serving as an assistant coach with St Kilda under Mike Patterson.[3]
He was appointed as senior coach with theSydney Swans for one season in 1985 where he was sacked after a year when he didn't fit into flamboyant owner Geoffrey Edelsten's vision of a higher profile coach. He was replaced byTom Hafey.[4]
He then went to be the senior coach ofMelbourne from 1986 to 1992; his most successful year was when he took the Demons to the1988 VFL Grand Final, eventually losing to Hawthorn. After the 1992 season, he decided to leave the Melbourne Football Club and step down as senior coach after struggling to finish 11th and therefore missing out of the finals.[5][6] Northey was then replaced byNeil Balme as Melbourne Football Club senior coach.
From 1993 to 1995, he went to be the senior coach at his former club, Richmond. His first two seasons at Richmond were unsuccessful but in the 1995 season they finished 3rd putting them into the finals, but were eliminated by eventual runners-upGeelong in the preliminary final. However, after the 1995 season, he resigned as Richmond Football Club senior coach.[7] Northey was then replaced byRobert Walls as Richmond Football Club senior coach.[8]
He was then appointedBrisbane Bears senior coach for the1996 season, when he replacedRobert Walls.[9] Northey led the Bears to their best ever season in making the preliminary final, before being eliminated by eventual premiersNorth Melbourne.[10]
After the 1996 season, the Brisbane Bears merged with theFitzroy Lions resulting on the formation of theBrisbane Lions. He was then appointed as the inaugural senior coach of the Brisbane Lions for the 1997 season.[11] Northey led the club into the finals in their inaugural season in 1997, where they finished eighth with ten wins, eleven losses and one draw. The Lions under Northey were then eliminated by eventual runners-upSt Kilda in the first week of the qualifying finals. However, after disappointing results in the1998 season, when the Lions under Northey sat last on the ladder, he was sacked after the Lions suffered a 71-point loss toFremantle in Round 11, 1998.[12] He was then replaced by assistant coachRoger Merrett as caretaker senior coach for the rest of the 1998 season.[13][14]
He coached 315VFL/AFL games including stints atSydney Swans,Brisbane Lions,Melbourne Demons,Richmond Tigers andBrisbane Bears. He sits third on the record for the most VFL/AFL games coached without a premiership behindRodney Eade andKen Hinkley.
At the end of his AFL coaching career, Northey returned to Ballarat, where he was the figurehead to the rebuilding of localBFL side Redan, the club had fallen onto hard times and as a past coach of the club he was asked to help.
He was awarded theAustralian Sports Medal byQueen Elizabeth II on 24 October 2000 for his contributions to Australian football.[15]
He went on to coachSouth Fremantle Football Club for the 2002 and 2003 seasons in theWAFL.
Northey returned toBallarat, he coached theBallarat Swans from 2005 and to a premiership in 2008.[16] He is the coach of theLearmonth Football Club.[17]
He also operates his own website athttp://www.swoopercoach.com.au that offers his expert advice on coaching, drills and his own blog.
His nephew is the conductorBenjamin Northey.[18]