This set contains all six teams with full team cards and team ratings, as well as a league-wide set of home-and-away adjustments to the ratings.
 
In the second season in the calendar year, Newcastle went from worst to first as they won their first-ever match in round 1 of their second season against Brisbane before three matches decided by four points or fewer - wins against Gold Coast and Parramatta before losing by two to defending champions Sydney.
 
Sydney would become minor premiers with five wins out of five, but just as a year ago they beat three-time defending champions and minor premiers Brisbane in the semi-final, they would be on the receiving end of the fourth-placed team when Parramatta - like Newcastle in only their second season - beat them 24-10. Newcastle made the Grand Final with a comfortable 30-6 win over St. George Illawarra.
 
In the Grand Final, Newcastle dominated their fellow sophomore club with seven tries to two on the way to a 32-12 to become champions for the first time.