John Thomas Lynch (9 August 1918 – 8 September 1944) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong, until he defected to the VFA club Preston without clearance in 1941.
One of his younger brothers, Marty Lynch also played VFL football: for Geelong and for South Melbourne.
[3] Following his mother's death he went to live with his aunt and uncle, and was educated at St Joseph's College, Geelong.
Recruited from the Marnock Vale Football Club in the Geelong and District Football Association in 1938, he spent some time with the Seconds—including his game at full-forward in the Second's 1938 Grand Final win against Footscray (12.19 (91) to 12.8 (80)) at the MCG, on Show Day (29 September 1938)[4]—before making his senior debut, against Carlton, at the Corio Oval, on 29 April 1939.
He died, as the result of an accident, in North Queensland on 8 September 1944: "Lynch and some of his mates were returning [to camp] in the back of a Jeep from a night out in Charters Towers when it ran into a mob of cattle.