IT IS unlikely he will mind too much, but Gold Coast defender Sam Collins is moving towards the top of an unwanted list.
Collins is a two-time club champion and one of the best defenders in the competition. He is also the owner of the longest active goal drought in the AFL, having never found the big sticks in his 127 games at the top level.
Collins is one of three gun defenders currently on a run of more than 100 games without a goal. Fremantle's Luke Ryan (streak of 123 games) kicked the most recent of his three career goals at the start of 2019, while the last time Liam Jones kicked a major was way back in 2016, 118 games ago, in his second season at Carlton.
A handful of others are closing in on a century of games without a goal; Greater Western Sydney pair Connor Idun (who has never kicked a major) and Sam Taylor are on streaks of 93 games, while Port Adelaide's Aliir Aliir has never kicked a goal for the Power, with his last major coming in his final match for Sydney in 2020, 92 games ago.
Sydney's Tom McCartin has gone 89 games without a goal at AFL level, although that could change this year, with the Swans having trialled him as a forward during the pre-season. The longest drought at the Swans belongs to Joel Hamling, who has never kicked a goal in his 91 AFL games but was played as a forward in the VFL last season.
Tom Barrass's active streak of 50 games without a goal is relatively low, but the Hawthorn recruit is no stranger to a long drought. The star defender arrived at the Hawks with just one goal from 150 games at West Coast, which came via a 50m penalty in his 100th game back in 2022.
Heading into a new season, Collins sits equal 15th in VFL/AFL history of most games without kicking a goal, with Collingwood's Ted Potter (182 games) the all-time record holder.
And the 30-year-old has time on his side before he gets close to the record for the most games before kicking a goal. That belongs to former Fitzroy and Sydney full-back Rod Carter, who kicked his solitary career goal against Melbourne in 1986 – his 215th game.
Based on Steven May's reaction when he kicked a rare goal against St Kilda last year, ending a drought of 80 goalless games, the celebration when - if - Collins kicks a major in 2025 will be worth watching for.
See below for the longest active goal droughts at your club and the players yet to kick a goal at AFL level (not including those yet to debut).
Longest active goalkicking droughts
Sam Collins - 127 games
Luke Ryan - 123 games
Liam Jones - 118 games
Connor Idun - 93 games
Sam Taylor - 93 games
Aliir Aliir - 92 games
Joel Hamling - 91 games
Tom McCartin - 89 games
Dougal Howard - 83 games
Jordon Butts
Drought: 75 games
Last goal: Never kicked a goal
Yet to kick a goal: Jordon Butts, 75 games; Max Michalanney, 45 games; Mark Keane, 31 games; Josh Worrell, 30 games; Hugh Bond, seven games
Noah Answerth
Drought: 58 games
Last goal: v Haw in R19, 2019
Yet to kick a goal: Darragh Joyce, 24 games; Shadeau Brain, nine games; Henry Smith, four games
Jacob Weitering
Drought: 59 games
Last goal: v NM in R7, 2022
Yet to kick a goal: Cooper Lord, two games
Darcy Moore
Drought: 66 games
Last goal: v BL in R5, 2022
Yet to kick a goal: Charlie Dean, eight games; Jakob Ryan, one game; Tew Jiath, one game
Ben McKay
Drought: 49 games
Last goal: v Ade in R15, 2022 (for NM)
Yet to kick a goal: Zach Reid, nine games
Luke Ryan
Drought: 123 games
Last goal: v NM in R1, 2019
Yet to kick a goal: Josh Draper, 20 games; Karl Worner, eight games; Liam Reidy, two games; Hugh Davies, two games; Cooper Simpson, two games
Jed Bews
Drought: 40 games
Last goal: v BL in R4, 2022
Yet to kick a goal: Oisin Mullin, 18 games; Ted Clohesy, three games; Connor O’Sullivan, one game
Sam Collins
Drought: 127 games
Last goal: Never kicked a goal
Yet to kick a goal: Sam Collins, 127 games; Bodhi Uwland, 24 games
Connor Idun
Drought: 93 games
Last goal: Never kicked a goal
Sam Taylor
Drought: 93 games
Last goal: v Melb in R10, 2019
Yet to kick a goal: Connor Idun, 93 games; Leek Aleer, 12 games; Joe Fonti, five games
Tom Barrass
Drought: 50 games
Last goal: v GC in R1, 2022
Yet to kick a goal: James Blanck, 24 games; Seamus Mitchell, 24 games; Bailey Macdonald, two games
Jake Bowey
Drought: 22 games
Last goal: v BL in R18, 2023
Yet to kick a goal: Blake Howes, 16 games; Andy Moniz-Wakefield, six games; Kynan Brown, two games
Luke McDonald
Drought: 32 games
Last goal: v Ess in R12, 2023
Yet to kick a goal: Jackson Archer, 23 games; Miller Bergman, 16 games; Colby McKercher, 16 games; Josh Goater, 12 games; Wil Dawson, three games; Riley Hardeman, three games
Aliir Aliir
Drought: 92 games
Last goal: v Geel in R18, 2020 (for Syd)
Yet to kick a goal: Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, 77 games; Dylan Williams, 27 games; Will Lorenz, two games
Nick Vlastuin
Drought: 29 games
Last goal: v Syd in R17, 2023
Yet to kick a goal: Tylar Young, 28 games; Kane McAuliffe, nine games; James Trezise, eight games; Jacob Blight, three games
Dougal Howard
Drought: 83 games
Last goal: v Ade in R7, 2020
Yet to kick a goal: Arie Schoenmaker, four games; Lance Collard, three games; Angus McLennan, two games
Joel Hamling
Drought: 91 games
Last goal: Never kicked a goal
Yet to kick a goal: Joel Hamling, 91 games; Caleb Mitchell, two games; Jack Buller, one game
Brady Hough
Drought: 53 games
Last goal: Never kicked a goal
Yet to kick a goal: Brady Hough, 53 games; Harry Edwards, 39 games; Rhett Bazzo, 21 games; Callum Jamieson, 17 games; Harvey Johnston, six games; Clay Hall, three games; Harry Barnett, two games; Loch Rawlinson, one game
Liam Jones
Drought: 118 games
Last goal: v Melb in R22, 2016 (for Carl)
Yet to kick a goal: Ryley Sanders, 14 games; Luke Cleary, seven games
