Coached by Bob Bailey and managed by Ray Haffenden, the New Zealand Kiwis squad for the Great Britain series was: Darrell Williams, Sam Panapa, Kevin Iro, Tony Kemp, Tony Iro, Dean Clark, Gary Freeman, Peter Brown, Duane Mann, Brent Todd, Tawera Nikau, Mark Horo, captain Hugh McGahan, Morvin Edwards, Mark Nixon, George Mann, Matthew Ridge and Dean Lonergan.
The first Test side was: Morvin Edwards, Sam Panapa, Dave Watson, Paddy Tuimavave, Tony Iro, Tony Kemp, captain Gary Freeman, Peter Brown, Duane Mann, Brent Todd, Tawera Nikau, Mike Kuiti, Mark Horo, Mark Nixon, George Mann and Dean Lonergan.
The squad was Ridge, Edwards, Watson, Williams, Panapa, Kelly Shelford, Freeman, Brown, Mann, Todd, Longergan, Nikau and captain McGahan.
The New Zealand Māori side that played Great Britain was captained by Kelly Shelford and included Morvin Edwards, Sean Hoppe, Dave Watson, John Lomax, Barry Harvey, Jason Lowrie, Tawera Nikau and Mike Kuiti.
Coached by Ray Haffenden the Junior Kiwis included Solomon Kiri, Shane Endacott, Syd Eru and Stephen Kearney.
[3] Mark Graham, Kevin Tamati, Ron Ackland, Roger Bailey, Des White and Tommy Baxter were the first six inductees to the New Zealand Rugby League's Hall of Fame.
The board also voted to support the Auckland Rugby League's bid to enter the Australian Winfield Cup.
Tawera Nikau, Richard Blackmore, Vaun O'Callaghan, Francis Leota, Mark Faumuina, Dean Clark and Des Maea played for Otahuhu, who were coached by Joe Gwynne.
The Northcote Tigers were coached by Graeme Norton and included Brian McClennan, Paddy and Tony Tuimavave, Faausu Afoa and Sean Hoppe while Iva Ropati and Solomon Kiri played for Mangere East.
[6] Upper Hutt defeated the Wainuiomata Lions 23–12 to win the Wellington Rugby League's Appleton Shield.
Hornby won a record 18th Canterbury Rugby League title when it defeated Addington 24–14 to lift the Pat Smith Challenge Trophy in the club's 75th year.
The Takahiwai Warriors, who included Jason Mackie, won the Northland Rugby League title, defeating the Moerewa Tigers 34–20 in the final.
The Midland and Bay of Plenty Rugby League's merged before the season began and the clubs competed in a single competition.
[8] The Waitara Bears won the Taranaki Rugby League's Lile Shield, being taken to extra time by the Western Suburbs Tigers before winning 24–16.
Marist won the West Coast Rugby League title, defeating Suburbs 9–4 in the grand final.
The West Coast Rugby League also ran a Women's competition for the first time, which was also won by the Marist club.