| Auckland Warriors | 11th | 10 | 14 | 0 | 538 | 498 | Mark GRAHAM | 15 | - | Stacey JONES | 80 | - | Matthew RIDGE | Ericsson | 11,135 | |
| Balmain Tigers | 15th | 8 | 16 | 0 | 345 | 636 | Wayne PEARCE | 9 | - | Chris MORCOMBE | 92 | - | Joel CAINE | Leichhardt | 9,710 | |
| Brisbane Broncos | 8th | 13 | 9 | 2 | 510 | 368 | Wayne BENNETT | 9 | - | Michael DE VERE | 150 | - | Ben WALKER | ANZ | 22,763 | Qualifying Final |
| Canberra Raiders | 9th | 13 | 10 | 1 | 618 | 439 | Mal MENINGA | 14 | - | Jason CROKER | 174 | - | Luke WILLIAMSON | Bruce | 12,057 | |
| Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs | 5th | 15 | 8 | 1 | 520 | 462 | Steve FOLKES | 18 | - | Rod SILVA | 210 | - | Daryl HALLIGAN | Stdm Australia | 16,966 | Semi Final |
| Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 13th | 9 | 14 | 1 | 454 | 623 | Bob FULTON Peter SHARP | 13 | - | Albert TORRENS Steve MENZIES | 80 | - | Adam BROWN | Brookvale | 10,085 | |
| Melbourne Storm | 3rd | 16 | 8 | 0 | 639 | 392 | Chris ANDERSON | 20 | - | Robbie ROSS Matt GEYER | 242 | - | Matt GEYER | Olympic Park | 13,114 | Premiers |
| Newcastle Knights | 7th | 14 | 9 | 1 | 575 | 484 | Warren RYAN | 16 | - | Darren ALBERT | 184 | - | Andrew JOHNS | Marathon | 20,878 | Qualifying Final |
| North Queensland Cowboys | 16th | 4 | 19 | 1 | 398 | 588 | Tim SHEENS | 9 | - | Damien SMITH Brian JELLICK | 60 | - | Noel GOLDTHORPE | Dairy Farmers | 16,108 | |
| North Sydney Bears | 14th | 8 | 16 | 0 | 490 | 642 | Peter LOUIS Kieran DEMPSEY | 15 | - | Michael BUETTNER | 158 | - | Jason TAYLOR | North Sydney | 9,217 | |
| Parramatta Eels | 2nd | 17 | 7 | 0 | 500 | 294 | Brian SMITH | 9 | - | Jason SMITH Clinton SCHIFCOFSKE | 164 | - | Clinton SCHIFCOFSKE | Parramatta | 16,388 | Prelim Final |
| Penrith Panthers | 10th | 11 | 12 | 1 | 492 | 428 | Royce SIMMONS | 18 | - | Ryan GIRDLER | 229 | - | Ryan GIRDLER | Penrith | 12,495 | |
| St George Illawarra Dragons | 6th | 15 | 9 | 0 | 588 | 416 | David WAITE | 24 | - | Nathan BLACKLOCK | 162 | - | Wayne BARTRIM | WIN (6), Kogarah (5) | 12,721 | Runners Up |
| Sharks | 1st | 18 | 6 | 0 | 586 | 332 | John LANG | 19 | - | David PEACHEY | 142 | - | Mat ROGERS | Shark Park | 13,954 | Prelim Final |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | 12th | 10 | 14 | 0 | 349 | 556 | Craig COLEMAN | 11 | - | Craig WING | 94 | - | Julian O'NEILL | SFS | 12,086 | |
| Sydney City Roosters | 4th | 16 | 8 | 0 | 592 | 377 | Phil GOULD | 15 | - | Robert MILES | 138 | - | Andrew WALKER | SFS | 13,729 | Semi Final |
| Western Suburbs Magpies | 17th | 3 | 21 | 0 | 285 | 944 | Tom RAUDONIKIS | 12 | - | Kevin McGUINNESS | 56 | - | Brett HODGSON | Campbelltown | 9,343 | Wooden Spoon |