The Wooden Spoon is the unofficial title for the last placed team at the end of the regular AFL season. Why a wooden spoon? The wooden spoon is an award usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition. The custom dates back to at least the early 19th century, where a wooden spoon was awarded by the students at the University of Cambridge to the student who achieved the lowest exam marks, but still earned a third-class degree in the Mathematical Tripos.

VFL/AFL Wooden Spoon Awardees List

Year Wooden Spoon
2025 West Coast
2024 Richmond
2023 West Coast Eagles
2022 North Melbourne
2021 North Melbourne
2020 Adelaide
2019 Gold Coast Suns
2018 Carlton
2017 Brisbane Lions
2016 Essendon
2015 Carlton
2014 St Kilda
2013 GWS Giants
2012 GWS Giants
2011 Gold Coast Suns
2010 West Coast Eagles
2009 Melbourne
2008 Melbourne
2007 Richmond
2006 Carlton
2005 Carlton
2004 Richmond
2003 Western Bulldogs
2002 Carlton
2001 Fremantle
2000 St Kilda
1999 Collingwood
1998 Brisbane Lions
1997 Melbourne
1996 Fitzroy
1995 Fitzroy
1994 Sydney
1993 Sydney
1992 Sydney
1991 Brisbane Bears
1990 Brisbane Bears
1989 Richmond
1988 St Kilda
1987 Richmond
1986 St Kilda
1985 St Kilda
1984 St Kilda
1983 St Kilda
1982 Footscray
1981 Melbourne
1980 Fitzroy
1979 St Kilda
1978 Melbourne
1977 St Kilda
1976 Collingwood
1975 Sth Melbourne
1974 Melbourne
1973 Sth Melbourne
1972 Nth Melbourne
1971 Sth Melbourne
1970 Nth Melbourne
1969 Melbourne
1968 Nth Melbourne
1967 Footscray
1966 Fitzroy
1965 Hawthorn
1964 Fitzroy
1963 Fitzroy
1962 Sth Melbourne
1961 Nth Melbourne
1960 Richmond
1959 Footscray
1958 Geelong
1957 Geelong
1956 Nth Melbourne
1955 St Kilda
1954 St Kilda
1953 Hawthorn
1952 St Kilda
1951 Melbourne
1950 Hawthorn
1949 Hawthorn
1948 St Kilda
1947 St Kilda
1946 Hawthorn
1945 St Kilda
1944 Geelong
1943 St Kilda
1942 Hawthorn
1941 Hawthorn
1940 Nth Melbourne
1939 Sth Melbourne
1938 Sth Melbourne
1937 Nth Melbourne
1936 Fitzroy
1935 Nth Melbourne
1934 Nth Melbourne
1933 Essendon
1932 Hawthorn
1931 Nth Melbourne
1930 Nth Melbourne
1929 Nth Melbourne
1928 Hawthorn
1927 Hawthorn
1926 Nth Melbourne
1925 Hawthorn
1924 St Kilda
1923 Melbourne
1922 Sth Melbourne
1921 Essendon
1920 St Kilda
1919 Melbourne
1918 Essendon
1917 Richmond
1916*

Fitzroy - Minor

or Richmond - Major
1915 Geelong
1914 University
1913 University
1912 University
1911 University
1910 St Kilda
1909 St Kilda
1908 Geelong
1907 Essendon
1906 Melbourne
1905 Melbourne
1904 St Kilda
1903 Sth Melbourne
1902 St Kilda
1901 St Kilda
1900 St Kilda
1899 St Kilda
1898 St Kilda
1897 St Kilda

The 1916 season presents contention about who won the wooden spoon that year. In 1916 only four teams competed in the competition, with Fitzroy finishing bottom of the ladder after the regular season. However, all four teams played in the finals, with Fitzroy winning the premiership and Richmond finishing 4th. The wooden spoon could be either awarded to Fitzroy for the regular season result, or Richmond who was ranked last after the finals.

The only team yet to be awarded a wooden spoon is a relatively recent addition to the competition: Port Adelaide. Adelaide were first awarded the wooden spoon in 2020. The West Coast Eagles 'won' their first Wooden Spoon in 2010, and the Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giants won it in their first season in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Gold Coast and GSW join St Kilda and Hawthorn as the clubs to have been awarded the wooden spoon in their inaugural season. St Kilda have won the most wooden spoons, more than double any other team.

Most Wooden Spoons

St Kilda holds the unwanted record with 27 wooden spoons, including 8 consecutive from 1897-1904.

St Kilda History →

Never Finished Last

Port Adelaide is the only AFL team to have never won a wooden spoon since joining in 1997.

Port Adelaide History →

Recent Winners

Richmond (2024), West Coast Eagles (2023 and 2025), and North Melbourne (2021, 2022) are the most recent recipients.

Current Season →

Pro Tip: Teams that finish last receive priority access to the best young talent through the AFL Draft, making the wooden spoon sometimes a blessing in disguise for rebuilding clubs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which AFL team has won the most wooden spoons?

St Kilda has won the most wooden spoons with 27, more than double any other team. Their worst period was from 1897 to 1904 when they won 8 consecutive wooden spoons.

Has any AFL team never won a wooden spoon?

Port Adelaide is the only team to have never won a wooden spoon since joining the AFL in 1997. They've consistently avoided finishing last despite some challenging seasons.

Why is it called a wooden spoon?

The term dates back to the early 19th century at the University of Cambridge, where a wooden spoon was awarded to the student with the lowest exam marks who still earned a third-class degree in mathematics. The tradition transferred to sports as a humorous award for last place.

Do teams actually receive a physical wooden spoon?

No, the AFL doesn't officially award a physical wooden spoon. It's an unofficial title used by media and fans to describe the team finishing last on the ladder.

What was the 1916 wooden spoon controversy?

In 1916, only four teams competed and all qualified for finals. Fitzroy finished last in the regular season but won the premiership, while Richmond finished fourth overall. There's debate whether Fitzroy or Richmond should be considered the wooden spoon winner.