Kangaroos and Hawthorn doing best to avoid first wooden spoon in AFL era

The prize that comes with winning the wooden spoon is access to Australia’s best young footballer but clubs like North Melbourne and Hawthorn are doing their best to avoid finishing last

South Adelaide’s Jason Horne has been identified as a potential number one pick in the AFL draft later this year. Picture: Brenton Edwards

There is hype building around Jason Horne with the teenager identified as one of footy’s best prospects.

The South Australian is said to possess the overhead marking skills and tenacity of Nat Fyfe and the ruggedness and aggression of Joel Selwood. Those attributes are tantalising for recruiters and fans alike.

The South Adelaide midfielder, whose stepfather Fabian Francis played with Port Adelaide, sits alongside father-son candidates Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy as the top draft prospects of 2021.

As much as AFL clubs would like to draft the midfielder, they are not sacrificing their integrity in order to land Horne, or whoever the number one pick might be.

North Melbourne and Hawthorn are doing their best to avoid the stigma of winning the wooden spoon, even if the prize is access to a talent like Horne.

It has not always been the case. The practice of tanking, or manipulating the draft, is illegal but has occurred.

Melbourne were famously penalised for tanking in 2009 in a politicised scandal which came at a great price for many individuals.

Nor is it uncommon for lower-ranked teams to employ a list management strategy in August that diminishes their chances by sending stars showing signs of wear for early surgery.

The 18th placed Kangaroos have improved in the second half of the season and coach David Noble is adamant there is greater value in learning to win than losing for a prized pick.

“I probably don’t need a carrot to not win the bottom spoon. I’m pretty motivated when it comes to that, and I think our players are,” he said.

“I’m pretty clear. We want to win every game. That is a fundamental staple.”

The stigma of finishing last is also a reason the lowly clubs are striving for success.

North Melbourne last claimed the wooden spoon in 1972. For Hawthorn, their most recent experience of the bottom was in 1965.

The Hawks have been embroiled in controversy over the past month, which peaked last Friday when it was confirmed Alastair Clarkson’s reign would end this season.

A wooden spoon to end the reign of Hawthorn’s most successful coach would rub salt to a deep wound and the Hawks earned some wriggle room when beating Brisbane on Sunday.

The Hawks will host Collingwood, who had been in contention for the wooden spoon until their 45-point win over West Coast propelled them to 14th, in Launceston this weekend.

The Magpies have reason to ensure they finish as high as possible after handing the Giants their top draft pick last year to allow them enough points to secure Daicos as a father-son recruit.

The higher they finish, the less value there is in the selection for the Giants, which slipped from the eight when beaten by Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Sunday night.

Dual-Brownlow medallist Robert Harvey is also determined to make the most of a chance to showcase his ability in the senior coaching role.

Although Harvey is yet to state his interest in the vacant role at Collingwood, the 50-year-old has coached the Magpies to wins over Richmond and the Eagles to date.

More importantly, younger talent including Ollie Henry, Finlay Macrae, Trey Ruscoe and Trent Bianco appear to be flourishing with the Magpies playing a more attacking style.

David Teague, Brett Ratten and Rhyce Shaw are among caretakers who have parlayed the opportunity into a full-time position.

Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon said Harvey had not hindered his hopes of securing a senior position after assuming the role from Nathan Buckley for the second half of this year.

“I think Robert Harvey has enhanced his reputation as either a prospective future coach or a prospective assistant coach somewhere else,” he said on SEN.