2023 season: Your wooden spoon and bottom 4 predictions

[Dry Rot]

Let's face it, most speculation at this time of the year is about the top eight finalists, probable top four finishes, and who may be playing in the grand final.

So let's look at the other end of the coming season.

Who is going to win the wooden spoon?

My first thoughts are either North Melbourne or Hawthorn, pretty obvious I suppose but you never know. North have a great new proud coach, and perhaps Mitchell may know what he's doing.

Where is West Coast at?

Or the Giants who have a new coach and a new approach, where will they finish?

And there's always our favourite team, the Adelaide Crows.

Of course, so often does a surprise bottom four team from the previous season make the top eight or even the top four, but likewise a relatively well favoured team today can go down the dunny and end up in the bottom four for the season.

So who is your pick for the wooden spoon in season 2023 and why?

What is your prediction for the bottom four teams in 2023 and why?

And what is your left field prediction for a well favoured team to go down the dunny and end up in the bottom four in 2023 and why?

[Dry Rot]

And what is your left field prediction for a well favoured team to go down the dunny and end up in the bottom four in 2023 and why?

A hopeful prediction of the Lions does not count unless you have some good reasons.

[bornadog]

I really can't see North climbing off the bottom of the ladder. They basically have the same team as last year, all be it they are are now slightly more experienced. Clarkson or not, you need the cattle on the ground.

The other move for me is I think the Saints will drop off even more and will finish bottom 4. Essendon were a bit of a surprise to finish bottom 4 last year and may move up a few rungs.

Bottom four for me are:

Saints
Giants
Hawks
North

[MrMahatma]

I could see the Pies falling hard. They won’t win so many close ones and it’ll be a close competition again from 5-12th I reckon - prob only 4/5 wins between those positions, which means losing a few close ones will cost you big time.

[hujsh]

I could see the Pies falling hard. They won’t win so many close ones and it’ll be a close competition again from 5-12th I reckon - prob only 4/5 wins between those positions, which means losing a few close ones will cost you big time.

I could actually see that. They have some talent for sure (every team does) nut still feel light in a lot of areas. More of their unknowns will be known to other clubs after their success so I could see them dropping too and maybe bouncing back a bit next yer

[josie]

I really can't see North climbing off the bottom of the ladder. They basically have the same team as last year, all be it they are are now slightly more experienced. Clarkson or not, you need the cattle on the ground.

The other move for me is I think the Saints will drop off even more and will finish bottom 4. Essendon were a bit of a surprise to finish bottom 4 last year and may move up a few rungs.

Bottom four for me are:

Saints
Giants
Hawks
North

West coast is also a possibility, however with saint’s injuries leading up to season and my venom for GWS I’ll agree with BAD.

[GVGjr]

Spoon
North will pick up the wooden spoon again. To win a lot more games they need to be able to score and while Sheezel might be able to help I can't see that Larkey and say Comben or CCJ being able to kick enough of a score. Potentially losing Thomas and the uncertainty of Hall won't help either.

The Botton 3 joining North
The rebuilding Hawks needs another season. They'll upset a team or two along the way but losing O'Meara and Mitchell has to hurt
West Coast will improve but losing Ryan, Kennedy and doubts on Nic Nat and Darling will be a problem for them.

The last spot is tricky, Saints have had a poor preseason and have a lot of injuries. It could be a train wreck for them.
Crows have a better list than the results have indicated.
The Giants are the most likely to fall off and be in the bottom 4 so I'll go with them. They're shuffling a lot of players around and it could take time to settle in.

So North, Hawthorn, West Coast and GWS

Danger Will Robinson
The left of field of field one might be the Saints. Those injuries will break the continuity needed leading into the season.

[Happy Days]

I think Hawthorn are going to be really, really bad and can’t really see them not winning the spoon. North aren’t going to be better, they’re just going to be better than Hawthorn.

[bornadog]

West coast is also a possibility, however with saint’s injuries leading up to season and my venom for GWS I’ll agree with BAD.

Thanks Josie - Yes, for some reason missed West Coast. with Saints hovering
My revised is

Giants
West Coast
Hawks
North

[Bulldog Joe]

I think Hawthorn are going to be really, really bad and can’t really see them not winning the spoon. North aren’t going to be better, they’re just going to be better than Hawthorn.

I am with you on this.

When was the last time any team traded/retired out 4 of their most experienced (Mitchell, McEvoy, Gunston, O'Meara) and improved.
They have also installed an absolute hot head as captain and their really promising key forward (Lewis) has suffered a big setback with injury.

[Axe Man]

I am with you on this.

When was the last time any team traded/retired out 4 of their most experienced (Mitchell, McEvoy, Gunston, O'Meara) and improved.
They have also installed an absolute hot head as captain and their really promising key forward (Lewis) has suffered a big setback with injury.

Also agree with Hawthorn looking the worst team on paper. It's their midfield that is the greatest concern for mine. Their best onballer is Jai Newcombe who is a promising young player but wouldn't be in our top 5.

[mjp]

I think Hawthorn are going to be really, really bad and can’t really see them not winning the spoon. North aren’t going to be better, they’re just going to be better than Hawthorn.

Agree - I think Hawthorn cut WAY too deep. This is a tear-down of biblical (aka Dean Bailey era Melbourne) proportions.

[GVGjr]

Agree - I think Hawthorn cut WAY too deep. This is a tear-down of biblical (aka Dean Bailey era Melbourne) proportions.

North tried something like this and have never recovered. There is a balance that needs to be achieved and going the youth option isn't the short term fix some might think. Still they can probably be a big player for Free Agents unlike North who have struggled to land the right players.

[mjp]

North tried something like this and have never recovered.

North were half pregnant with their veterans though. The one with ‘real” value was Goldstein and they refused to give him up...meantime, they traded everyone around him so he couldn’t succeed. As for bringing in players like Polec, Hall, the hyphen whose name escapes me...even others like Josh Walker who didn’t fit in terms of age... North have done some seriously strange stuff.

To be fair, I think they drafted well this year. And I’m 100% sure they’ve been waiting on me announcing that!

[GVGjr]

North were half pregnant with their veterans though. The one with ‘real” value was Goldstein and they refused to give him up...meantime, they traded everyone around him so he couldn’t succeed. As for bringing in players like Polec, Hall, the hyphen whose name escapes me...even others like Josh Walker who didn’t fit in terms of age... North have done some seriously strange stuff.

To be fair, I think they drafted well this year. And I’m 100% sure they’ve been waiting on me announcing that!

Clubs need to be honest with themselves before making the decision to savage the list and start to execute a rebuild.
I would imagine North's footy department would have gone to the board and said that the list was ageing and under performing and that they needed to let some big name players go two things:
1) Rebuild the list via the draft
2) Attract OOC and FA players with the money saved on letting the more veteran types go.

The result is they never drafted that well and couldn't attract players that could make a difference. It's going to take a couple of years more before they might make some progress.

It's probably fair to say Hawthorn have done it more professionally and they might be regarded by the AFL players as a bit of a destination club but they've got a lot of things they need to get right to bring that to fruition.