The 1885 Victorian Football Association season was the 9th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the South Melbourne Football Club. It was the club's second VFA premiership. Association membership The senior metropolitan membership of the Association (including Geelong) increased from eight to ten clubs in 1885. The two new clubs were and University, both of which were newly formed this season. At this time, five other provincial senior clubs were full Association members represented on the Board of Management: Ballarat, Ballarat Imperial, South Ballarat, Horsham Trades and Horsham Unions. Due to distance, these clubs played too few matches against the rest of the VFA to be considered relevant in the premiership. 1885 VFA premiership The 1885 premiership was won by the South Melbourne Football Club. In one of the most dominant seasons seen, South Melbourne finished the season undefeated from a total of 25 matches: 14–0–2 against the other VFA senior clubs, and 22–0–3 against all opponents – which included matches against all four South Australian senior clubs. South Melbourne scored almost four times as many goals as it conceded, and scored at least seven goals in half of its matches. , which lost only two of its 21 matches, finished as runner up, and the defending premiers finished third. Club senior records The below table details the playing records of the ten clubs in all matches during the 1885 season. Two sets of results are given: Senior results: based only upon games played against other VFA senior clubs Total results: including senior games, and games against intercolonial, up-country and junior clubs. The clubs are listed in the order in which they were ranked in the Sportsman newspaper. The VFA had no formal process by which the clubs were ranked, so the below order should be considered indicative only, particularly since the fixturing of matches was not standardised; however, the top three placings were later acknowledged in publications including the Football Record and are considered official. Notable events Disputed match between South Melbourne and Essendon The match between premiers and on 15 August at the South Melbourne Cricket Ground was initially drawn, South Melbourne 3.17 vs Essendon 3.10. Essendon protested the result, seeking an extra goal to be credited to its score from one of two opportunities in a wild period of play in the second half. The first attempt related to a kick