This set contains all 15 teams from the top level of rugby league in Australia and New Zealand with full team cards and separate team ratings for home and away matches.
 
In a season marred by then league leaders Sydney B being stripped of all their 37 won points to that point due to salary cap violations, New Zealand were able to claim their first-ever minor premiership, finishing level on points with Newcastle and a point ahead of Brisbane, but ahead of the regional NSW club on a points difference of +8.
 
Newcastle would be bounced in two straight matches in the finals series, whilst Brisbane also fell to Sydney R in the preliminary final in a reverse of the 2000 Grand Final. New Zealand would beat Canberra and then in the preliminary final Sydney S as they made their first Grand Final.
 
But after a low-scoring first half, Sydney R denied the team from across the ditch their first league title as despite giving up the first try to relinquish the lead, the Sydneysiders scored in four in a row to bring up a comfortable 30-8 victory to end their 27-year wait for a title.