WoodenSpoon!

[jod23]

I was just wondering if anyone can give me the stats on who has got the most Wooden Spoons. Who has the most in a row and who has never got one? Comments would be appreciated.

 

[Dan26]

St.Kilda has "won" 25 wooden spoons. In 2000, they will "win" their 26th.

St.Kilda finished last on the ladder for the first 6 seasons of the VFL from 1897 through to 1902 inclusive. This is a record for consecutive wooden spoons

North Melbourne has recieved the second most wooden spoons, with 13 bottom of the ladder placings, while Hawthorn has done it 11 times.

Of the traditional clubs only Carlton has failed to get a wooden spoon, with their lowest finish being 11th in 1991.

Collingwood has "won" 2 (in 1976 and 1999), while Essendon has finished last 4 times in 1907,18,21 and 33. Although I don't count 1918, becasue it was the year after the war and seeing the Bombers didn't compete in 1916-17, iy would have been incredibly difficult to field a competitive team.

Probably the most surprisng fact for those who know footy history is that Footscray has only finishd last three times. Considering the wooden spoon records of Hawthorn and North melbourne stated above, and given that the Demons have won 10 wooden spoons, and Sth. Melb/Sydney have won 11, it is very surprising that the perennially unsuccessful Doggies have only finished last three times.

I would have thought they would have finished last many more times than that. I suppose they must have spent their whole history in the "middle" of the ladder, becasue they never win the flag, but they rarely finish last either !

 

[jod23]

Thanks Dan so who hasnt got one - WCE Freo Adel PA is that it. Even though there all very new (barring WCE a little) although when your new isnt that the best time to pick up a spoon because you suck.

 

[sainter]

For the statistically minded, our last wooden spoon was in 1988. Interestingly, the draft was only introduced in 1987 so the 2000 National Draft is one of the first opportunities that St Kilda have had to grab the best young talent and rebuild the side. Who knows, if the zoning system in place was not so blatantly unfair, things could have been a lot different.

And on the subject of our wooden spoons, I'm glad you mentioned that so many of these were very early on Dan. We were so poor in the early days that our first win was not until 1900 and that was against Melbourne. Ironically, we actually lost the game but won it on appeal after a score wasn't recorded by the umpires.

And congratulations to Spider Everitt for renewing his contract and staying with the saints for another three years. I was pleased to hear Don Hanly say that we will be signing up Harvey, Burke and Loewe while at the same time retaining promising youngsters like James Begley.

Sorry for raving on a little but the topic wooden spoons is generally a saints domain and one where we are most comfortable in.


[This message has been edited by sainter (edited 28 July 2000).]

 

[dons_r_tops]

jod23,
Carlton doesn't have one yet either and im sure that west will be adding one to the collection some time in the next 2 - 8 years

 

[jod23]

So Carlton are clearly the best team ever then with the most amount of Premierships and never got a Woodenspoon! Keep dreaming Dons R tops we aint picking up no wood in the next 2-8 or 2-100 for that matter!!!

 

[Dan26]

That's debatable Jod23

Collingwood have made the finals 72 tinmes in 103 completed seasons (to the end of 1999), while Carlton has made the finals 62 times to the end of last year.

Also, for the first 3 or 4 seasons, St.Kilda didn't win a game. As Sainter pointed out, they didn't win their first VFL match until 1900. In this period, Carlton were second-bottom every year. It was only the complete incompetence of St.Kilda, who were in their own standard of "un-competitiveness" that stopped Carlton from getting a few wooden spoons.

And after this year, there may well be two team on 16 premierships (Essendon being the other one) Essendon have made the finasl 56 times in 103 completd years (they didn't compete in 1916-17, due to World War One), and have never experienced more than 19 years between flags. 19 years is our longest premiership drought. Every other club has had a longer drought at some stage of their history.

The hitorical even-ness between Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon is unique, and the three can't really be seperated.

While the Pies have won only 14 flags, this is made up for with 72 finals appearances in 103 years.......10 more than Carlton. And if Essendon win their 16th flag this year, it will be done in 102 completed seasons, while Carlton would have taken 104 seasons to accumulate their 16 (including the year 2000)

One of the great features of the VFL/AFL is that no one club has been able to monopolise premierships.

 

[Eagle_Fan]

Jod, that's a pretty dumb thing to say. Obviously we hope a spoon doesn't end up at Subi, but there's every chance one (or more) may. There's also just as a big a chance of a cup (or more) heading this way.

Beware the boundary between optimism and stupidity!

 

[sainter]

C'mon Dan, you may be stating a fact but I still think writing 'the complete incompetence of St.Kilda, who were in their own standard of "un-competitiveness"' is a little harsh.

Yes, we were an average team. I will even go as far as saying a shithouse team, but show a bit of heart Dan.

I also think it is worth noting that we were not admitted into the VFL as one of the foundation teams in 1897 because of our VFA success or healthy financial position. We were admitted because the powers that be, which I believe were the Essendon and Geelong football clubs, decided that a team was needed south of the Yarra. The teams were not on an even keel. For example, Melbourne was not too successful initially either because unlike most other teams, were strictly amateur and refused to pay their players.

Many teams have come and gone but we will continue to attempt to get in the way of the "more successful" clubs. Let's just say that we are a little more immune to losing but it doesn't mean that a season like this year does not tear us apart.

 

[jod23]

Eagle_Fan, i aint been stupid im just been positive you always have to think positively.
Thants what i think is wrong with our team and our supporters, if we ever get down in a game its not often we lift our heads high and try to get back in it and the fans dont really help. They just sit there mute. Anyway Dan i think in the next 10 or so years Collingwooden wont be in that same league as Essendon and the Blues. Both the dons and blues are so strong and look to be strong for years to come but collingwood just seem to be going backwards.

 

[Dan26]

Sainter,

I didn't mean to sound too harsh, but I was only referring to St.Kilda's first 4 years......not the rest.

Now starting with a 0-48 record in their first 48 games is not good. In fact, "complete incompetence" is probably appropriate wording in those unusual circumstances.

Fortunately for the Saints, things did get a bit better