The other run home: Race for AFL wooden spoon heats up and Pies might end up with egg on face
For just the third time, Collingwood is a chance to win the wooden spoon. But a trade last year means it will miss out big time in the draft. Every club’s current picks.
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Collingwood is in danger of handing the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft to Greater Western Sydney on a silver platter, with the Magpies increasingly likely to win the wooden spoon.
In a move that has been described as potentially the “greatest list build error” in recent history, the Giants will hold the No. 1 pick if the Magpies finish on the bottom of the table this season.
Under former list manager Ned Guy, Collingwood traded its 2021 first-round pick to the Giants in exchange for picks 24 and 30 last year and a fourth-round selection this year.
The deal was done with the assumption that Collingwood would lose its first-round draft pick this year anyway to match a bid on star father-son prospect and potential No. 1 draft pick Nick Daicos.
However, if Collingwood finishes last it could have had both the No. 1 pick and Daicos had it not made the trade.
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“If they finish last and won the wooden spoon and had their first pick, they would’ve been able to get Jason Horne — the boom recruit everyone’s talking about in Adelaide — with their first pick and then wait for another club to bid on Nick Daicos,” leading football analyst David King said on Fox Footy.
“They would’ve had the best two kids in the draft in one season. But because they’ve traded that pick out, it doesn’t work anymore. They can only get Daicos.
“This could be the greatest list build error you have ever seen.”
RUN HOME: WHO WILL CLAIM LAST SPOT IN TOP EIGHT?
Collingwood last won the wooden spoon in 1999 — one of just two last-place finishes in a proud history that dates back to 1897.
However, the Magpies chances of avoiding a third spoon now largely hang on the result of their clash with Hawthorn in Round 21.
Collingwood currently sits 16th on the ladder, two points clear of 17th-placed Hawthorn and 18th-placed North Melbourne.
However, the improving Kangaroos — who have won three of their past five matches — are capable of winning at least one more game and first-year coach David Noble is not playing for draft picks.
“I probably don’t need a carrot not to win the wooden spoon,” Noble said after last weekend’s 39-point win over Carlton.
“I’m pretty motivated when it comes to that and I think our players are.
“There’s no doubt it took us a little while to get going, but there’s a whole new game plan for us — how we’re defending, how we want to create score. We couldn’t get our best team together until the back half of the year but what it’s allowed us to do is to grow those young guys coming forward. I think now we step into each game for the remaining part of the year with really strong belief in what we can do and deliver based on the wins we’ve had since the bye.”
THE WOODEN SPOON RACE WITH FOUR ROUNDS TO GO
16. COLLINGWOOD
Record: 5-13, 88.5%
R20: West Coast Eagles
R21: Hawthorn
R22: Brisbane Lions
R23: Essendon
WE SAY
The Magpies’ best — and perhaps only chance — of scoring another win this season is their match against Hawthorn in Round 21. Collingwood has won just one of its past five games and it is hard to see Robert Harvey’s side beating West Coast, Brisbane or Essendon — who all sit in the top half of the ladder. But on current form and without captain Scott Pendlebury (broken leg) for the rest of the season, you would be brave to tip the Magpies to win any of their last four games. As far as draft picks are concerned it all doesn’t mean much for the Magpies given Greater Western Sydney holds Collingwood’s first-round pick.
PREDICTED FINISH: 18th
17. HAWTHORN
Record: 4-1-13, 79.1%
R20: Brisbane Lions
R21: Collingwood
R22: Western Bulldogs
R23: Richmond
WE SAY
The Hawks have shown an ability to cause an upset this season, highlighted by a draw against top-four side Melbourne in Round 18. However, it is not an easy run home with games to come against top-five sides Brisbane and Western Bulldogs, as well as a dangerous Richmond outfit which swept aside the Hawks back in Round 2. Plenty hangs on the Round 21 clash against Collingwood. Lose that and Hawthorn is a strong chance to win the wooden spoon. Win that match and Hawks look like getting the No. 3 draft pick with a 16th placed finish.
PREDICTED FINISH: 16th
18. NORTH MELBOURNE
Record: 4-1-13, 70.8%
R20: Geelong
R21: Richmond
R22: Sydney
R23: Adelaide
WE SAY
The Kangaroos are riding a nice wave of momentum, having secured three wins from their past five matches including a 39-point win over Carlton last weekend. That said, it is hard to see them winning any of their next three matches against Geelong (2nd), Sydney (6th) and Richmond (10th). However, a win over Adelaide in the final round is a real possibility, which could see the Kangaroos leap off last place on the ladder. If they win that match and match and Collingwood does not win another game for the season, North Melbourne would finish 17th and hold the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft.
PREDICTED FINISH: 17th
EVERY CLUB’S CURRENT DRAFT PICKS (AFTER ROUND 19)
Adelaide: 4, 23, 35, 59, 63
Brisbane: 14, 16, 49, 51, 58, 71
Carlton: 6, 25, 61, 79, 97
Collingwood: 37, 40, 41, 45, 76, 94
Essendon: 10, 47, 52, 83
Fremantle: 8, 27, 81, 99
Geelong: 29, 30, 36, 54
Gold Coast: 5, 19, 24, 43, 53, 60, 65, 78, 96
GWS: 3, 11, 48, 72, 84
Hawthorn: 2, 21, 22, 56, 64, 75, 93
Melbourne: 33, 39, 55, 89
North Melbourne: 1, 20, 38, 69, 74, 92
Port Adelaide: 15, 57, 66, 70, 88
Richmond: 9, 17, 26, 28, 42, 46, 82, 100
St Kilda: 7, 44, 62, 80, 98
Sydney: 13, 32, 68, 86
West Coast: 12, 31, 34, 50, 67, 85
Western Bulldogs: 18, 73, 91
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