John Dowling (born 3 April 1953) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s.

A Queensland rep against France in 1977, John Dowling ventured to the St. George Dragons in 1979 under the coaching of Harry Bath but missed the club's grand final success that year because of injury.

[3] He went on to play in three Rugby League State of Origin matches for Queensland in 1982 before returning to Brisbane at the end of the 1984 season.

Dowling was Reserve grade coach under Craig Young at St. George in 1989–1990.

This rugby league football biography relating to an Australian born in the 1950s is a stub.