It's an unfortunate guarantee that some AFL clubs are going to struggle significantly more than others in any given season.
The disparity between the top half and bottom half of the league was particularly obvious in 2025, with the ninth-place Bulldogs winning five more games than the 11th-place Carlton Blues.
The gap was even larger the further down the ladder you go, with West Coast becoming the first club since GWS in 2013 to win just one game for an entire season.
But who will be in the mix for the least-desired award in 2026? There's a few familiar clubs you might recognise...
1West Coast Eagles
Despite adding a number one draft pick, premiership experience and the expected development to come from stars Harley Reid and Tom McCarthy, the Eagles are our favourites to claim the wooden spoon for a second consecutive season.
Losing the offensive firepower of Oscar Allen certainly raises concerns over their ability to hit the scoreboard, and while the inclusions of Brandon Starcevich and Tylar Young are a plus down back, the Eagles defensive profile remains a significant concern.
In 2025, the Eagles kicked an average of 63.7 points per game and conceded 106.0. That's an average points differential of -42.3 points per game, which since the turn of the decade, is the fourth-worst return in that metric.
While West Coast faithful can be confident a repeat of a one-win season is unlikely to happen, they'll need to take a significant jump to avoid residing in 18th once again. The 2026 draft class looks pretty enticing, though!
