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)
No countback exists if teams finish equal on points but with a different number of wins.
1898-1907
From 1898-1907, 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, additional finals matches were played. In these seasons, since every team played seventeen games, it seems most appropriate to award the wooden spoon to the bottom team after seventeen games. The sectional games changed the outcome of the wooden spoon on only two occasions: 1905, when St Kilda won one game, relegating Melbourne to last, and; 1907, when Fitzroy won all three games, relegating Essendon to last.
1916
In the war-time season of 1916, only four teams 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 (Argus system), and Fitzroy won three consecutive finals games to claim the premiership, with Richmond shifting into overall last place as the lowest placed semi-final loser. There is hence some uncertainty regarding which team should lay claim to the wooden spoon in that season.
One side of the debate says that since Fitzroy performed most poorly during the bulk of the season, they deserved the ignominy of the spoon. Conversely, official AFL rankings will order teams according to their finals finishing order when considering the allocation of draft picks - had a draft existed in 1916, Richmond would have been officially recorded as the overall bottom team, and received the first pick as consolation.
The second consideration is the final winning records. After the finals had finished, Fitzroy's final record was 5-9-1 from fifteen games, with a winning percentage of 36.7%, and Richmond's final record was 5-8-0 from thirteen games, with a winning percentage of 38.4%. So, Fitzroy won more games, and Richmond had a better winning percentage.
There is an argument to state that both teams lay claim to the 1916 spoon, and this is reflected in the table below. The entire confusing situation is now a regular Melburnian trivia night question.
Trivia
- St Kilda have won the most wooden spoons of any existing AFL team, with 26; their most recent wooden spoon was in 2000.
- Essendon have avoided the wooden spoon for the longest period in VFL/AFL history, having not won it since 1933.
- Carlton was the last of the foundation clubs to win a wooden spoon, in 2002. This coincided with the salary cap breaches that engulfed the club, but the breaches were only revealed well after the 2002 season. Its most recent wooden spoon was in 2006.
- The Brisbane Bears were the first interstate team to win the wooden spoon, winning two, the most recent was in 1991. The sub-merger, the Brisbane Lions, had a wooden spoon finish in 1998, but 12 months later found themselves in a preliminary final against North Melbourne which was lost. Melbourne were also in this position in which it won the wooden spoon in 1997 only to find themselves in a preliminary final 12 months later, also lost to North Melbourne. Collingwood were the only team to back up a wooden spoon season with a Grand Final appearance, which was lost to North Melbourne.
- Sydney were the last team to win a hat trick of wooden spoons, from 1992-4. They won only eight games in that period.
- A year after Geelong won its last wooden spoon in 1958, Footscray won its first, in 1959.
- In 2010, the West Coast Eagles became the quickest team since Melbourne (1964-1969) to crash to a wooden spoon finish less than five years after its premiership triumph (in 2006).
- To date, neither of the South Australian clubs (Adelaide or Port Adelaide) have won the wooden spoon; Port Adelaide came the closest in 2000, when they finished 14th.
Wooden Spoons Season by Season
| Season | Wooden Spoon | Wins | Losses | Draws | Percentage | Points |
| 1897 | St Kilda | 0 | 14 | 0 | 29.1 | 0 |
| 1898 | St Kilda | 0 | 17 | 0 | 33.5 | 0 |
| 1899 | St Kilda | 0 | 17 | 0 | 28.0 | 0 |
| 1900 | St Kilda | 1 | 16 | 0 | - | 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 | Fitzroy | 2 | 9 | 1 | 81.6 | 10' |
| 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 | 20 | 0 | 70.5 | 8 |
| 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 Eagles | 4 | 18 | 0 | 77.1 | 16 |
Wooden Spoon Tally
| Club | Wooden Spoons | Most Recent Wooden Spoon |
| St Kilda | 26 | 2000 |
| North Melbourne | 13 | 1972 |
| Melbourne | 12 | 2009 |
| Hawthorn | 11 | 1965 |
| South Melbourne/Sydney | 11 | 1994 |
| Fitzroy | 8* | 1996 |
| Richmond | 7* | 2007 |
| Geelong | 5 | 1958 |
| Footscray/Western Bulldogs | 4 | 2003 |
| Essendon | 4 | 1933 |
| University | 4 | 1914 |
| Carlton | 3 | 2006 |
| Collingwood | 2 | 1999 |
| Brisbane Bears | 2 | 1991 |
| West Coast Eagles | 1 | 2010 |
| Fremantle | 1 | 2001 |
| Brisbane Lions | 1 | 1998 |
| Port Adelaide | 0 | N/A |
| Adelaide | 0 | N/A |
* - See 1916 explanation above