The set contains all 12 teams from the continuing top level of rugby league in Australia (Auckland having switched to the breakaway league during 1996), with each team receiving separate home and away team ratings, along with full team cards including try scorers and individual kicking ranges.
 
Following the split in two of top rugby league in Australia, the 12 continuing teams with the governing body took part in a slimmed down home-and-away season with a confusing top seven playoff, where many matches decided only which future match a team would play rather than a team being threatened with elimination with a loss. The regular season saw Manly-Warringah top the table three points ahead of Newcastle and Parramatta. Newcastle beat Parramatta in the opening round of the playoffs which saw them have to face Manly in the Major Qualifying Final. The Northern Beaches club would claim a comfortable 27-12 win but all that gained them was a Preliminary Final against Sydney where only a Craig Field field goal proved the difference in a 17-16 win which would set up a Grand Final rematch against the Hunter Valley club after they claimed a 17-12 win over North Sydney. It looked like being a similar outcome as their earlier playoff match as Manly  led 16-8 at half-time, but Robbie O'Davis's try levelled the score with five minutes left, before in the final minute Darren Albert completed the turnaround for Newcastle as they finally claimed their first-ever premiership 22-16.