ership ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁Melbourne ▁Football ▁Club . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁fourth ▁premi ership ▁in ▁the ▁club ' s ▁history , ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁sequence ▁of ▁three ▁consecutive ▁premiers hips ▁won ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 0 . ▁ ▁Association ▁membership ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁teams ▁contest ing ▁the ▁Association ▁premi ership ▁reduced ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁senior ▁teams ▁to ▁ 1 2 ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁three ▁Ball ar at - based ▁clubs ▁– ▁Ball ar at , ▁South ▁Ball ar at ▁and ▁Ball ar at ▁Imperial ▁remained ▁senior ▁clubs , ▁represented ▁on ▁the ▁Association ▁Board ▁of ▁Management ▁and ▁cont ested ▁the ▁Ball ar at ▁premi ership , ▁but ▁matches ▁played ▁against ▁them ▁by ▁metropol itan ▁clubs ▁( which ▁often ▁occurred ▁during ▁by e ▁weeks ) ▁no ▁longer ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁premi ership . ▁University , ▁after ▁a ▁win less ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁season , ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁and ▁went ▁into ▁re cess . ▁▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁V FA ▁Lad der ▁Teams ▁did ▁not ▁play ▁a ▁uniform ▁number ▁of ▁premi ership ▁matches ▁during ▁the ▁season . ▁As ▁such , ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁stand ings , ▁each ▁team ' s ▁premi ership ▁points ▁were ▁adjust ed ▁up wards ▁proportion ally ▁to ▁represent ▁a ▁ 2 1 - match ▁season ▁– ▁e . g ., ▁South ▁Melbourne ▁played ▁ 1 9 ▁matches , ▁so ▁its ▁t ally ▁of ▁premi ership ▁points ▁was ▁increased