President - Dr Ford
Vice-Presidents - Byrne, Forrester, Harrison, Dr. Gray
Secretary - Jenvey
Captain - Bob Sillett
Vice-Captain - Fred Baker
Leading goalkicker - Charles Baker - 10
Treasurer - Moffat (until May) - EW Longden
Committee - EW Longden (until May), J. Anthony (from May)
West Melbourne and Essendon were promoted to the VFA senior ranks, and the Association formalised the start of the season in early May instead of on the Queen's Birthday (24 May) as in previous years. Melbourne proposed a game against University in Sydney but the match was not played.
Geelong were premiers, beating Melbourne in an extra 'playoff' game at the end of the season. Melbourne had won less games than Carlton, but by virtue of their four-nil head to head record during the year the Reds were considered to be the best 'city' team. They had an up-and-down season, losing several games to junior or country teams when players didn't consider the fixture important enough to show up for.
In The Australasian's team of the year Longden (followers), McKie (backs), Sandilands and Downes (forwards) were named.
The club ended the season with a credit balance of 78p, 3s, 4d.
VFA matches
| Date | Opponent | Result | |
| 24 May | Ballarat | LOSS | |
| 25 May | South Melbourne | WIN | |
| 1 June | Hotham | LOSS | |
| 8 June | Carlton | WIN | |
| 15 June | Albert Park | DRAW | |
| 22 June | West Melbourne | DRAW | |
| 6 July | St Kilda | LOSS | |
| 13 July | Carlton | WIN | |
| 27 July | Essendon | LOSS | |
| 3 August | Albert Park | WIN | |
| 10 August | Hotham | DRAW | |
| 24 August | Carlton | WIN | |
| 31 August | Essendon | DRAW | |
| 7 September | Albert Park | DRAW | |
| 14 September | West Melbourne | LOSS | |
| 21 September | Hotham | WIN | |
| 28 September | Carlton | WIN | |
| 5 October | Geelong | LOSS | |
Other matches
| Date | Opponent | Result | |
| 11 May | Hawthorn | LOSS | |
| 18 May | Clifton | WIN | |
| 25 May | South Melbourne | WIN | |
| 20 July | Williamstown | WIN | |
| 17 August | Victorian | WIN | |
| 19 August | Victorian | WIN | |
| UNKNOWN | Horsham | WIN | |
Players
Thomas Anthony, Charles Baker, Fred Baker, Henry Batterbury, J. Bell, James Bennie, Joseph Birtwistle, John Booth, William Boys, Joseph Cook, Ted Cooke, W. Cook, J. Cooper, Frank Crohan, Crooke, Donaldson, Harry Downes, Charles Forrester, P. Goldsmith, A. Henderson, George Houston, Charles Jenvey, Frederick Kitz, Sam Lamrock, Thomas Lempriere, Edward Longden, Arthur Longden, John Macdonald, Alfred McKie, Jim McKie, Utar Nicholas, Norman, Fred Page, G. Page, P. Page, Hugh Ross, Will Sandilands, Percy Serjeant, C. Sherrard, Bob Sillett, Slight, Bob Simson, Fred Stephen, C. Swanson, J. Tennent, Frank Waldron, Horatio Webb, Egbert Wills
Goalkickers
Charles Baker 10, Fred Baker 4, J. Cook 3, James Bennie 2, Ted Cooke 2, F. Crohan 2, E. Longden 2, Utar Nicholas 2, Frank Waldron 2, W. Boys 1, J. Cooper 1, John Macdonald 1, A. McKie 1, Will Sandilands 1
Second 20
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 11 May | Toorak | LOSS | 0-3 |
| 18 May | Northcote | DRAW | 2-2 |
| 24 May | Seymour | WIN | 11-0 |
| 25 May | Hawthorn | LOSS | 1-3 |
| 1 June | Hotham | DRAW | 2-2 |
| 15 June | Albert Park | WIN | 2-1 |
| 29 June | Warwick | WIN | 1-0 |
| 6 July | St Kilda | WIN | 4-0 |
| 20 July | Carlton | DRAW | 0-0 |
| 27 July | Essendon | WIN | 1-0 |
| 3 August | Warwick | WIN | 2-0 |
| 10 August | Hotham | WIN | 2-0 |
| 17 August | Toorak | WIN | 1-0 |
| 31 August | Carlton | 2-0 | |
| 7 September | Albert Park | LOSS 0-2 | |
| 14 September | St Kilda | WIN | 2-0 |
| 21 September | Geelong | LOSS | 2-4 |
Media
Age - 09/04/1878
Australian Town and Country Journal - 20/04/1878
Australasian - 12/10/1878
Age - 18/06/1878
Sydney Morning Herald 20/08/1878
Australasian - 12/04/1879
"Origins of Australian Football: Volume 2" by Mark Pennings