HOME GROUNDS: M.C.G., University, Princes Oval (Pre Season Games)
| Round | Opponent | Venue | Date / Time | Home / Away | Attendance | Result (Behinds Not Counted) |
| - | Port Melbourne | M. C. G. (Benefit Match) | March 31 | Home | 15,000 | Lost by 2 goals (3.11 - 5.12) |
| - | Carlton Standard and Lincoln (23) | Princes Oval | April 14 | Home | Unknown | Result unknown |
| - | Albert Park (23) | Princes Oval | April 21 | Home | Unknown | Result Unknown |
| - | Brunswick (23) | Princes Oval | April 28 | Home | Unknown- | Won by 6 goals (8.7 - 2.1) |
| 1 | St. Kilda | St. Kilda C. G. | May 05 | Away | 2,000 | Won by 3 goals (7.18 - 4.10) |
| 2 | University | University C. G. | May 12 | Away | Unknown | Won by 10 goals (13.14 - 3.1) |
| - | Norwood | M. C. G. | May 19 | Home | 15,000 | Won by 2 goals (7.8 - 5.12) |
| 3 | Melbourne | M. C. G. | May 24 Thursday 10.40am | Home | 5,000 | Won by 7 goals (10.6 - 3.15) |
| 4 | Essendon | M. C. G. | May 26 | Home | Unknown | Won by 6 goals (7.9 - 1.3) |
| 5 | North Melbourne | M. C. G. | June 02 | Home | 13,000 | Won by 8 goals (8.15 - 0.2) |
| 6 | Geelong | M. C. G. | June 09 | Home | 18,000 | Won by 2 goals (5.4 - 3.5) |
| - | England | M. C. G. | June 16 | Home | 25,000 | Won by 11 goals (14.17 - 3.8) |
| - | Southern Tasmania | Cornelian Bay Ground Hobart | June 23 | Away | 8,000 | Lost by 1 goal (6.8 - 7.4) |
| - | City Football Club | Risdon Recreational Ground* | June 27 Wednesday | Away | 3,000 | Won by 5 goals (8.6 - 3.5) |
| - | Southern Tasmania | Cornelian Bay Ground Hobart | June 30 | Away | 3,000 | Won by 1 goal (3.8 - 2.7) |
| 7 | North Melbourne | Arden Street | July 07 | Away | Unknown | Drawn (2.3 - 2.8) |
| 8 | South Melbourne | M. C. G. | July 14 | Home | 30,000 | Lost by 9 goals (2.6 - 11.9) |
| 9 | Williamstown | Williamstown C. G. | July 21 | Away | 3,500 | Lost by 4 goals (1.4 - 5.5) |
| 10 | Fitzroy | M. C. G. | July 28 | Home | 12,000 | Won by 4 goals (5.11 - 1.8) |
| - | South Melbourne | M. C. G. (Exhib. Match) | August 01 Wednesday | Home | 20,000 | Lost by 1 goal (4.5 - 5.13) |
| 11 | Richmond | University Ground | August 04 | Home | Unknown | Lost by 2 goals (2.8 - 4.6) |
| 12 | Port Melbourne | M. C. G. | August 11 | Home | 7,000 | Won by 1 goal (6.10 - 5.10) |
| 13 | Williamstown | M. C. G. | August 18 | Home | Unknown | Won by 4 goals (7.9 - 3.6) |
| 14 | Essendon | East Melbourne C. G. | August 25 | Away | Unknown | Lost by 2 goals (5.10 - 7.9) |
| 15 | Port Melbourne | Port Oval | September 01 | Away | Unknown | Lost by 3 goals (3.6 - 6.14) |
| 16 | South Melbourne | Lake Oval | September 08 | Away | 23,000 | Drawn (3.6 - 3.6) |
| 17 | Melbourne | Friendly Societies Ground | September 15 | Away | Unknown | Won by 1 goal (7.16 - 6.12) |
| 18 | Geelong | Corio Oval** | September 22 | Away | 10,000 | Drawn (6.12 - 6.11) |
| 19 | Fitzroy | Brunswick Street | September 29 | Away | Unknown | Won by 3 goals (4.13 - 1.15) |
| - | St.Kilda | St.Kilda (U.S.A. Exhib. Match) | December 31 | Away | 6,000 | Won by 1 goal (2.3 - 1.4) |
| - | Port Melbourne | M. C. G. (U.S.A. Exhib. Match) | January 05 1889 | Home | 11,000 | Drawn (3.2 - 3.4) |
.* May have been Cornelian Bay Ground or Risdon. It is now believed that the two grounds are the same venue. The Cornelian Bay Ground later became part of the now defunct Risdon Racecourse.
.** Geelong Cricket Ground
| Pos | Team | Played | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Proportional Points |
| 1 | South Melbourne | 19 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 138 | 45 | 64 | 74.1 |
| 2 | Geelong | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 97 | 73 | 56 | 64.84 |
| 3 | Williamstown | 20 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 77 | 57 | 54 | 59.4 |
| 4 | Carlton | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 100 | 84 | 50 | 57.89 |
| 5 | Richmond | 21 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 86 | 76 | 48 | 50.28 |
| 6 | Port Melbourne | 21 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 97 | 80 | 50 | 50.0 |
| 7 | North Melbourne | 20 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 80 | 80 | 42 | 46.2 |
| 8 | St.Kilda | 21 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 87 | 78 | 38 | 39.8 |
| 9 | Essendon | 19 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 60 | 80 | 30 | 34.73 |
| 10 | Fitzroy | 18 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 64 | 71 | 28 | 34.22 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 19 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 52 | 117 | 18 | 20.84 |
| 12 | Ballarat* | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 61 | 45 | 40 | 55.0 |
| 13 | South Ballarat* | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 47 | 38 | 30 | 50.76 |
| 14 | Footscray* | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 33 | 70 | 20 | 29.33 |
| 15 | Ballarat Imperials* | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 36 | 69 | 10 | 15.71 |
| 16 | University* | 14 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 77 | 2 | 2.93 |
The Ballarat clubs were VFA members, but did not play enough games to qualify to play for the VFA premiership.
The three clubs played each other 8 times, 4 points for a win and 2 for a draw.
Ballarat won 5, lost 2, drawn 1, 22 points. South Ballarat won 5, lost 2, drawn 1, 22 points.
Ballarat Imperials won 1, lost 7, drawn 0, points 4.
1888 Finishing order.
For the first time the premiership was decided on points with only games against Association clubs to count.
The team gaining the greatest proportion of possible points would be winners of the premiership.
-* "The last five clubs on the list did not play in sufficient number of matches to permit of their competing for the premiership, and their records are inserted only for comparison and reference." (The Australasian)