The season featured ten clubs and ran from 1 May to 2 October, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

South Melbourne won the premiership, defeating Carlton by two points in the 1909 VFL grand final; it was South Melbourne's first VFL premiership.

South Melbourne also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 14–4 win–loss record.

In 1909, the VFL competition consisted of ten teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no reserves, although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1909 VFL premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended Argus system.