John was born in Lebanon in 1962 and after moving to Punchbowl in Sydney's west played in the NRL for clubs including Newtown, Brisbane Souths, Wests, Easts and Canterbury. Several stints in Goal, including an eighteenth month sentence in Long Bay at age sixteen, and his other off field activities saw John become a fixture in Sydney's underworld scene. He went on to set up the Lebanese national team, The Cedars, and has played, captained and coached the side in numerous successful campaigns.