List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons
The wooden spoon is the imaginary and ironic "award" which is said to be won by the team finishing in last place in the Australian Football League. No physical wooden spoon award exists, other than those brought by opposition fans to taunt struggling teams, nor is such an award officially sanctioned by the VFL/AFL. However, most betting agencies will take wagers on the wooden spoon.
Criteria
The team which finishes on the bottom of the ladder wins the wooden spoon. This is determined by:
- Fewest premiership points (four points for a win, two points for a draw)
- Lowest percentage (the ratio of points for to points against if on same numbers of points)
No countback exists if teams finish equal on points but with a different number of wins.
1901–1907
From 1901–1907, the VFL season was set up such that each team played fourteen regular season games: two games against each opponent. Based upon regular season ladder positions, teams were divided into pools A (1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th) and B (2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th), and each team played the opponents from its pool once each in the "sectional round."
Following the sectional round, the results of these matches were added to the ladder to give a final ladder based on seventeen matches per team. As such, the wooden spooner is considered to be the team which finishes last after all seventeen matches.
The three sectional games changed the outcome of the wooden spoon twice in the seven seasons of this format: in 1905, St Kilda beat Geelong in their last game, relegating Melbourne to last, and in 1907, Fitzroy won all three of their games, relegating Essendon to last.
1916
In the war-time season of 1916, only four teams (Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond) competed. Fitzroy finished last after the home-and-away season with a record of 2–9–1 (10 pts), and Richmond finished third with a record of 5–7–0 (20 pts).
All four teams competed in the finals under the amended Argus system in place at the time. Richmond lost their Semi-Final and finished in overall last place as the lowest placed Semi-Final loser, while Fitzroy won their Semi-Final, the Final and the Grand Final to claim the premiership.
There is hence some uncertainty regarding which team should lay claim to the wooden spoon in that season; by analogy with the minor and major premierships, it could be said that Fitzroy won the "minor wooden spoon" and Richmond won the "major wooden spoon".
The official AFL season guide recognises Richmond as the wooden spooners for the 1916 VFL season.
Records
- St Kilda has won the most wooden spoons of any existing AFL team, with 27; its most recent wooden spoon was in 2014.
- Carlton has the longest wooden spoon drought in VFL/AFL history, and was the last of the foundation clubs to win a wooden spoon. Its first wooden spoon came in 2002, the club's 106th season of VFL/AFL competition. Despite this, they currently have the most wooden spoons in the 21st century with five.
- Essendon and Collingwood are the only teams to follow up a wooden spoon with a Grand Final appearance, in 1907–08 and 1976–77 respectively. Neither was victorious.
- Essendon hold the record for the swiftest rise from wooden spoon to premiership, two seasons: they finished last in 1921 and won back-to-back premierships in 1923–24.
- Melbourne and Fitzroy hold the record for the swiftest descent from premiership to wooden spoon, three seasons: Melbourne finished last in 1951 after winning the premiership in 1948, and Fitzroy laid partial claim to the 1916 wooden spoon after winning the premiership in 1913.
- St Kilda, Hawthorn, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney all won the wooden spoon in their inaugural season in the VFL/AFL.
- Further, Greater Western Sydney also won the inaugural AFL Women's wooden spoon with only one win and a draw from seven matches played.
- Collingwood in 1976 holds the record for the most wins by a wooden spooner with six.
- Thirteen wooden spooners failed to win a match during the season, the most recent being Fitzroy in 1964.
- The highest percentage recorded by a wooden spoon team was by South Melbourne, with 91.3% in 1922.
- The Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide are the only teams to have not yet "won" a wooden spoon.
- Carlton are the first (and currently only) team to have both their men's and women's teams 'win' the wooden spoon in the same season, which occurred in 2018.
Wooden spoons by season
| Season | Wooden spoon | Wins | Losses | Draws | Percentage | Points |
| 1897 | St Kilda | 0 | 14 | 0 | 29.1 | 0 |
| 1898 | St Kilda | 0 | 14 | 0 | 33.5 | 0 |
| 1899 | St Kilda | 0 | 14 | 0 | 28.0 | 0 |
| 1900 | St Kilda | 1 | 13 | 0 | 39.1 | 4 |
| 1901 | St Kilda | 1 | 16 | 0 | – | 4 |
| 1902 | St Kilda | 0 | 17 | 0 | – | 0 |
| 1903 | South Melbourne | 2 | 15 | 0 | – | 8 |
| 1904 | St Kilda | 3 | 14 | 0 | – | 12 |
| 1905 | Melbourne | 3 | 14 | 0 | – | 12 |
| 1906 | Melbourne | 1 | 16 | 0 | – | 4 |
| 1907 | Essendon | 5 | 12 | 0 | – | 20 |
| 1908 | Geelong | 2 | 16 | 0 | – | 8 |
| 1909 | St Kilda | 2 | 15 | 0 | 59.3 | 8 |
| 1910 | St Kilda | 1 | 17 | 0 | 62.3 | 4 |
| 1911 | University | 1 | 17 | 0 | 52.1 | 4 |
| 1912 | University | 1 | 17 | 0 | 57.0 | 4 |
| 1913 | University | 0 | 18 | 0 | 57.6 | 0 |
| 1914 | University | 0 | 18 | 0 | 47.0 | 0 |
| 1915 | Geelong | 3 | 13 | 0 | 68.0 | 12 |
| 1916 Minor 1916 Major |
Fitzroy Richmond |
2 5 |
9 7 |
1 0 |
81.6 89.9 |
10 20 |
| 1917 | Richmond | 3 | 11 | 1 | – | 14 |
| 1918 | Essendon | 3 | 11 | 0 | 64.2 | 12 |
| 1919 | Melbourne | 0 | 16 | 0 | 43.0 | 0 |
| 1920 | St Kilda | 2 | 14 | 0 | 57.2 | 8 |
| 1921 | Essendon | 3 | 11 | 2 | 80.8 | 16 |
| 1922 | South Melbourne | 4 | 11 | 1 | 91.3 | 18 |
| 1923 | Melbourne | 3 | 13 | 0 | 80.4 | 12 |
| 1924 | St Kilda | 4 | 12 | 0 | 75.7 | 16 |
| 1925 | Hawthorn | 3 | 14 | 0 | 66.1 | 12 |
| 1926 | North Melbourne | 0 | 17 | 1 | 73.7 | 2 |
| 1927 | Hawthorn | 1 | 17 | 0 | 63.1 | 4 |
| 1928 | Hawthorn | 0 | 18 | 0 | 61.6 | 0 |
| 1929 | North Melbourne | 1 | 17 | 0 | 60.2 | 4 |
| 1930 | North Melbourne | 1 | 17 | 0 | 51.8 | 4 |
| 1931 | North Melbourne | 0 | 18 | 0 | 50.8 | 0 |
| 1932 | Hawthorn | 3 | 15 | 0 | 64.1 | 12 |
| 1933 | Essendon | 2 | 16 | 0 | 77.1 | 12 |
| 1934 | North Melbourne | 0 | 18 | 0 | 66.4 | 0 |
| 1935 | North Melbourne | 1 | 17 | 0 | 65.1 | 4 |
| 1936 | Fitzroy | 2 | 16 | 0 | 68.9 | 8 |
| 1937 | North Melbourne | 3 | 15 | 0 | 64.2 | 12 |
| 1938 | South Melbourne | 2 | 16 | 0 | 71.8 | 8 |
| 1939 | South Melbourne | 3 | 15 | 0 | 70.8 | 12 |
| 1940 | North Melbourne | 4 | 14 | 0 | 75.1 | 16 |
| 1941 | Hawthorn | 3 | 15 | 0 | 68.2 | 12 |
| 1942 | Hawthorn | 1 | 14 | 0 | 65.6 | 8 |
| 1943 | St Kilda | 1 | 8 | 1 | 73.9 | 10 |
| 1944 | Geelong | 1 | 17 | 0 | 58.6 | 4 |
| 1945 | St Kilda | 2 | 18 | 0 | 62.2 | 8 |
| 1946 | Hawthorn | 3 | 16 | 0 | 70.5 | 12 |
| 1947 | St Kilda | 1 | 17 | 1 | 58.7 | 6 |
| 1948 | St Kilda | 2 | 17 | 0 | 59.9 | 8 |
| 1949 | Hawthorn | 3 | 16 | 0 | 61.1 | 12 |
| 1950 | Hawthorn | 0 | 18 | 0 | 49.8 | 0 |
| 1951 | Melbourne | 1 | 17 | 0 | 70.5 | 4 |
| 1952 | St Kilda | 2 | 17 | 0 | 68.1 | 8 |
| 1953 | Hawthorn | 3 | 15 | 0 | 68.5 | 12 |
| 1954 | St Kilda | 4 | 13 | 1 | 72.7 | 18 |
| 1955 | St Kilda | 1 | 17 | 0 | 45.4 | 4 |
| 1956 | North Melbourne | 3 | 16 | 0 | 69.5 | 12 |
| 1957 | Geelong | 5 | 12 | 1 | 88.2 | 22 |
| 1958 | Geelong | 4 | 14 | 0 | 73.8 | 16 |
| 1959 | Footscray | 3 | 15 | 0 | 73.3 | 12 |
| 1960 | Richmond | 2 | 14 | 2 | 65.1 | 12 |
| 1961 | North Melbourne | 4 | 13 | 1 | 79.1 | 18 |
| 1962 | South Melbourne | 3 | 15 | 0 | 74.4 | 12 |
| 1963 | Fitzroy | 1 | 17 | 0 | 57.5 | 4 |
| 1964 | Fitzroy | 0 | 18 | 0 | 59.7 | 0 |
| 1965 | Hawthorn | 4 | 14 | 0 | 68.9 | 16 |
| 1966 | Fitzroy | 1 | 17 | 0 | 53.8 | 4 |
| 1967 | Footscray | 4 | 14 | 0 | 71.8 | 16 |
| 1968 | North Melbourne | 3 | 17 | 0 | 74.3 | 12 |
| 1969 | Melbourne | 3 | 17 | 0 | 83.1 | 12 |
| 1970 | North Melbourne | 4 | 18 | 0 | 79.1 | 16 |
| 1971 | South Melbourne | 3 | 19 | 0 | 69.9 | 12 |
| 1972 | North Melbourne | 1 | 21 | 0 | 62.9 | 4 |
| 1973 | South Melbourne | 4 | 18 | 0 | 79.0 | 16 |
| 1974 | Melbourne | 3 | 19 | 0 | 77.1 | 12 |
| 1975 | South Melbourne | 2 | 20 | 0 | 75.0 | 8 |
| 1976 | Collingwood | 6 | 16 | 0 | 86.4 | 24 |
| 1977 | St Kilda | 3 | 17 | 2 | 73.5 | 16 |
| 1978 | Melbourne | 5 | 17 | 0 | 69.1 | 20 |
| 1979 | St Kilda | 3 | 19 | 0 | 65.0 | 12 |
| 1980 | Fitzroy | 4 | 17 | 1 | 86.0 | 18 |
| 1981 | Melbourne | 1 | 21 | 0 | 63.5 | 4 |
| 1982 | Footscray | 3 | 19 | 0 | 68.1 | 12 |
| 1983 | St Kilda | 5 | 17 | 0 | 79 | 20 |
| 1984 | St Kilda | 5 | 17 | 0 | 76 | 20 |
| 1985 | St Kilda | 3 | 19 | 0 | 64.7 | 12 |
| 1986 | St Kilda | 2 | 20 | 0 | 71.9 | 8 |
| 1987 | Richmond | 5 | 17 | 0 | 83 | 20 |
| 1988 | St Kilda | 4 | 18 | 0 | 82 | 16 |
| 1989 | Richmond | 5 | 17 | 0 | 71 | 20 |
| 1990 | Brisbane Bears | 4 | 18 | 0 | 71 | 16 |
| 1991 | Brisbane Bears | 3 | 19 | 0 | 70 | 12 |
| 1992 | Sydney | 3 | 18 | 1 | 74 | 14 |
| 1993 | Sydney | 1 | 19 | 0 | 63 | 4 |
| 1994 | Sydney | 4 | 18 | 0 | 78 | 16 |
| 1995 | Fitzroy | 2 | 20 | 0 | 58.2 | 8 |
| 1996 | Fitzroy | 1 | 21 | 0 | 49.5 | 4 |
| 1997 | Melbourne | 4 | 18 | 0 | 60.8 | 16 |
| 1998 | Brisbane Lions | 5 | 16 | 1 | 75 | 22 |
| 1999 | Collingwood | 4 | 18 | 0 | 84.8 | 16 |
| 2000 | St Kilda | 2 | 19 | 1 | 70.5 | 10 |
| 2001 | Fremantle | 2 | 20 | 0 | 72.0 | 8 |
| 2002 | Carlton | 3 | 19 | 0 | 73.1 | 12 |
| 2003 | Western Bulldogs | 3 | 18 | 1 | 74.8 | 14 |
| 2004 | Richmond | 4 | 18 | 0 | 69.2 | 16 |
| 2005 | Carlton | 4 | 17 | 1 | 75.5 | 18 |
| 2006 | Carlton | 3 | 18 | 1 | 74.2 | 14 |
| 2007 | Richmond | 3 | 18 | 1 | 77.2 | 14 |
| 2008 | Melbourne | 3 | 19 | 0 | 62.6 | 12 |
| 2009 | Melbourne | 4 | 18 | 0 | 74.7 | 16 |
| 2010 | West Coast | 4 | 18 | 0 | 77.1 | 16 |
| 2011 | Gold Coast | 3 | 19 | 0 | 56.27 | 12 |
| 2012 | Greater Western Sydney | 2 | 20 | 0 | 46.17 | 8 |
| 2013 | Greater Western Sydney | 1 | 21 | 0 | 50.97 | 4 |
| 2014 | St Kilda | 4 | 18 | 0 | 60.8 | 16 |
| 2015 | Carlton | 4 | 18 | 0 | 64.8 | 16 |
| 2016 | Essendon | 3 | 19 | 0 | 61 | 12 |
| 2017 | Brisbane Lions | 5 | 17 | 0 | 74.3 | 20 |
| 2018 | Carlton | 2 | 20 | 0 | 59.3 | 8 |
Wooden spoon tally
| Club | Total Wooden Spoons |
Years of Wooden Spoon |
|---|---|---|
| St Kilda | 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1909, 1910, 1920, 1924, 1943, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 2000, 2014 | |
| North Melbourne | 1926, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1956, 1961, 1968, 1970, 1972 | |
| Melbourne | 1905, 1906, 1919, 1923, 1951, 1969, 1974, 1978, 1981, 1997, 2008, 2009 | |
| Hawthorn | 1925, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1965 | |
| South Melbourne/Sydney | 1903, 1922, 1938, 1939, 1962, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1992, 1993, 1994 | |
| Fitzroy | 1916*, 1936, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1980, 1995, 1996 | |
| Richmond | 1916*, 1917, 1960, 1987, 1989, 2004, 2007 | |
| Carlton | 2002, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2018 | |
| Essendon | 1907, 1918, 1921, 1933, 2016 | |
| Geelong | 1908, 1915, 1944, 1957, 1958 | |
| University | 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914 | |
| Footscray/Western Bulldogs | 1959, 1967, 1982, 2003 | |
| Brisbane Bears | 1990, 1991 | |
| Brisbane Lions | 1998, 2017 | |
| Collingwood | 1976, 1999 | |
| Greater Western Sydney | 2012, 2013 | |
| Fremantle | 2001 | |
| West Coast Eagles | 2010 | |
| Gold Coast | 2011 | |
| Port Adelaide | N/A | |
| Adelaide | N/A |
current clubs are shown in bold
* See 1916 explanation above
Longest wooden spoon droughts
| Club | Time period | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Carlton | 1897–2002 | 105 |
| Essendon | 1933–2016 | 83 |
| Collingwood | 1897–1976 | 79 |
| Geelong | 1958–present | 60 |
| Hawthorn | 1965–present | 53 |
| North Melbourne | 1972–present | 46 |
| Richmond | 1917–1960 | 43 |
| Fitzroy | 1897–19361 | 39 |
| Footscray | 1925–1959 | 34 |
1 See discussion on 1916 wooden spoon.
Active wooden spoon droughts
| Club | Last won | Years since |
|---|---|---|
| Geelong | 1958 | 60 |
| Hawthorn | 1965 | 53 |
| North Melbourne | 1972 | 46 |
| Adelaide | never[a] | 27 |
| Sydney | 1994 | 24 |
| Port Adelaide | never[b] | 21 |
| Collingwood | 1999 | 19 |
| Fremantle | 2001 | 17 |
| Western Bulldogs | 2003 | 15 |
| Richmond | 2007 | 11 |
| Melbourne | 2009 | 9 |
| West Coast | 2010 | 8 |
| Gold Coast | 2011 | 7 |
| Greater Western Sydney | 2013 | 5 |
| St Kilda | 2014 | 4 |
| Essendon | 2016 | 2 |
| Brisbane Lions | 2017 | 1 |
| Carlton | 2018 | 0 |
Droughts are as of end of the 2018 season.
AFL Women's
| Season | Wooden spoon | Wins | Losses | Draws | Percentage | Points |
| 2017 | Greater Western Sydney | 1 | 5 | 1 | 51.8 | 6 |
| 2018 | Carlton | 2 | 5 | 0 | 54.1 | 8 |