When Josh Maddox checked Facebook and saw a picture of a giant wooden spoon, he thought "holy ... that's a big spoon," then he looked closer and realised the picture was of his own house.
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Josh Maddox, Gary Dixon, Jason 'Bucket' Golding and Joe Elers have been pranking each other at the end of footy season since 2015 - and it's always involved a giant wooden spoon.
Mr Maddox, a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs supporter from the NSW Hunter town of Maitland, had the 4.8m monster planted in his front yard this year, after the Dogs finished at the tail of the competition.
"I saw the lights as soon as I pulled into the estate and I thought, there it is ... in all it's glory."
The spoon has gone viral on Facebook receiving more than 7000 comments - and counting.
The spoon was put together in Gary Dixon's back shed.
"It goes around between the friends and the family as just a bit of banter between each other ... I just think it's hilarious that it's gone from a small thing we used to do to annoy each other at the end of the season to what it is now."
The prank started as a friendly rivalry to tease the losing member of the group and it has just been a lucky - or unlucky - coincidence that a member of their group has come last almost every year.
"It started at Jason Golding's house in 2015, 16 and 17 for the Knights and in 2018 it went to my father-in-law Gary Dixon's house because he goes for Parramatta ... in 2019 it had a spell before going to Joe Elers' house in 2020 (Brisbane Broncos)."
According to Mr Maddox, whoever loses one season looks after the spoon for the next year's recipient, and is also in charge of updating the paint job.
"It's been upgraded along the way - it has solar lights around it now, and it gets bigger and better every year."
Being Maitland born and bred, Mr Maddox doesn't know exactly how he got into supporting the Bulldogs.
"Don't hold it against me," he said.
Despite defeating the Wests Tigers in a triumphant 38-0 win on Sunday, the Bulldogs have come in at the bottom of the ladder in this year's NRL comp.
Mr Maddox hopes to see the Brisbane Broncos receive the wooden spoon in 2022.
"I don't think it'll happen but I'd like to see the Broncos get it again."