Played during the latter stages of World War I, six of the league's nine clubs featured in 1917, with Geelong and South Melbourne returning after being in recess the previous season.

Collingwood also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 10–4–1 win–loss–draw record.

In 1917, the VFL competition consisted of six 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.

Each of the six teams played each other three times in a 15 match home-and-away season (Geelong, Richmond, and South Melbourne each hosting eight games, while Carlton, Collingwood, and Fitzroy each hosted seven).

Once the 15 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1917 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".