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The 2009 Melbourne Football Club season was the club's 110th year in the VFL/AFL since it began in 1897.

Melbourne hosted 10 of its 11 games at the MCG. For the third year in a row, they played their remaining home game at Manuka Oval in the Nation's Capital Canberra against the Sydney Swans during Round 17. Dean Bailey coached his second year as senior coach at Melbourne. After taking the captaincy from David Neitz in Round 6 the year before with Cameron Bruce, James McDonald would be made full-time captain for the season.

On August 2, Melbourne president Jim Stynes announced he was diagnosed with cancer and would be stepping aside from his duties until the conclusion of the 2009 AFL season. Don McLardy was announced to take over as acting president for that period of time.

Melbourne would continue their Debt Demolition campaign in the month of August raising $567,132 and cutting their debt to $1.5 million. Melbourne would also gain a yearly profit of $587,183.

Despite vast on-field improvements from 2008 they would still only win 4 matches for the year and ensure they would recieve their 12th Wooden Spoon. Melbourne would come under scrutiny in the later rounds (most notably in round 18 against Richmond) of the season for tanking to receive a priority draft pick. Never less due to the fact that they lost 4 games or less for the second year in a row, Melbourne would receive a priority pick at the very start of the 2009 National Draft.

Rookie Draft
Notes
 * As Melbourne only won 3 matches in the year before, they would gain a priority draft pick at the conclusion of the first round of the National Draft (Pick 17). This pick was used to recruit Sam Blease.

NAB Cup and NAB Challenge
Week 1: Melbourne looked on the verge of causing an upset towards the 2008 Premiers Hawthorn leading 1.8.8 (65) to 0.5.2 (32) at three quarter time. However the Hawks would successfully amount a comeback keeping the 2008 wooden spooners goal-less in the final quarter as Jarryd Roughead would snatch the lead back for Hawthorn with a mark and a goal 30 seconds from full time.

Home and away season
Round 4: Melbourne registered their first win of the season defeating a winless Richmond by 8 points. Despite holding a 31 point lead at half time, the Demons would hold off a fast finishing Tiger outfit in the final quarter to secure their first win against a Victorian team since Round 22, 2007. Melbourne would also win their first game as the "away" side since Round 14, 2007.

Round 10: Melbourne would put up a brave-effort first half effort against an undefeated St Kilda trailing by only 8 points at the main break. However the Saints would keep Melbourne goalless in the second half to finish out comfortable winners by 27 points.

Round 11: In the 2009 Queen's Birthday clash, the 2008 number 1 draft pick Jack Watts would make his debut against Collingwood. However he would receive a harsh welcoming to the AFL when he came off from the interchange bench for the first time in the game. Watts would immediately get crunched by the larger bodies of 3 Collingwood players whilist the ball came his direction. , as Melbourne would receive its biggest loss for the season (66 points)

Round 12: Liam Jurrah (the first indigenous player from a remote tribal community contracted to the AFL) would make his debut against Essendon. He would kick his first goal in AFL with a marking attempt that would turn into a falling crumb in the goal-square. This goal would be nominated for Goal of the Year. However Melbourne would still be out-classed by the Bombers losing easily by 48 points.

Round 14: On July 2 in an emotional press conference Melbourne president Jim Stynes announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and had to step down as president for the rest of the season. Melbourne would play its most emotional game of the year against West Coast and record its highest first quarter score of the season. Despite a late charge by the Eagles in the final quarter, Melbourne would resist the attack and win the game by 20 points. After the match, they would head into the dressing rooms holding up Stynes' infamous number 37 Guernsey he wore during the the 1987 Preliminary Final against Hawthorn. Jack Grimes would recieve the NAB Rising Star nomination for Round 14.

Round 15: Melbourne would win consecutive games for the first time since Round 11, 2007 when it downed Port Adelaide by 11 points, after holding a 30+ point lead midway through the third quarter. Liam Jurrah would recieve the NAB Rising Star nomination for Round 15.

Round 18: In a match that was criticized for tanking strategies, Jordan McMahon would kick a mark and kick a goal locked in Richmond's forward 50 after the final siren to give the Tigers a 4 point win. During the game Melbourne coach Dean Bailey would exclude and place several players in unusual positions. These included placing Ruckman Paul Johnson and Midfielder James McDonald in the backline; playing forward/midfielder Brad Miller in the Ruck; placing defenders James Frawley and Matthew Warnock in the forward line as well as leaving Russell Robertson and Colin Sylvia out of the game for Michael Newton and rookie Jake Spencer. On August 3, 2011 Bailey would later admit that he incidentally experimented putting players in their unusual positions to decrease Melbourne's chances of winning and hence help ensure that they would receive a priority draft pick.

Round 20: In front of a crowd of only 13,004, Melbourne would inflict its only thrashing of the season against fellow cellar dwellers Fremantle after a blowout in the second quarter to win by 63 points. They would record its first 60+ point victory since Round 8, 2006 as well as the first time they scored 20 or more goals in a game since Round 22, 2007.

Round 22: Veterans Russell Robertson, Paul Wheatley and Matthew Whelan would play their last ever AFL match against ladder leaders St Kilda. Melbourne would put on another strong first half performance trailing by only a goal at half time, which included a backwards goal from Liam Jurrah at the start of the quarter. However St Kilda would run over the to of Melbourne in the second half winning comfortably by 47 points to win the Minor Premiership. Melbourne on the other hand would win the wooden spoon and ensure that their priority pick would be safe. They would gain picks 1 and 2 in the 2009 AFL draft.

Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal Tally (Top 10)
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy – Aaron Davey

Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy (Second in the Best and Fairest) – Brent Moloney

Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy (Third in the Best and Fairest) – Cameron Bruce

Ivor Warne-Smith Memorial Trophy (Fourth in the Best and Fairest) – Matthew Bate

Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy (Fifth in the Best and Fairest) – Nathan Jones, Colin Sylvia, Matthew Warnock

Harold Ball Memorial Trophy (Best First Year Player) – Liam Jurrah

Troy Broadbridge Trophy (highest polling MFC player in the Casey Best and Fairest) – Shane Valenti

Ron Barassi Leadership Award – Brent Moloney

Ian Ridley Club Ambassador Award – Shane Valenti

Norm Smith Memorial Trophy (Coach's Award) – James Frawley

Leading Goalkicker Award – Russell Robertson (29)