Gelle Hills and Madang Fox rejoined the league after a year's absence, while there were debuts for Tukoko University and Besta PNG United, the latter of whom acted as a development side for the Papua New Guinea national team under-20s.
On December 16, Hekari United played their rearranged fixture against University Inter, the side who had pipped them to OFC Champions League qualification in 2007 and finished second behind them in the previous season.
[6] However, the following week, Hekari defeated Tukoko University 5–1 while Gelle Hills held Rapatona to a draw, and the side returned to the top of the table on goal difference.
From that moment, Hekari didn't look back, winning the remainder of their matches to ease to the regular season title with several weeks to spare.
After the final matches of the first round of fixtures, just five points separated Rapatona in second and Gelle Hills in sixth, with Morobe and the two university sides, Tukoko and Inter, all involved in the race.
[8] Elsewhere, Inter and Rapatona both consolidated their positions with a goalless draw, while Tukoko University's hopes were damaged after they failed to beat Besta PNG, with the score ending 3–3.
[9] While the two university sides fought out a 1–1 draw, Eastern Stars came from a goal down to defeat Morobe 4–3 in a thrilling game which put them level on points with their opponents, but with just one match left to play.
[10] Indeed, Inter came from a goal down to force a 2–2 draw against Morobe on the first weekend of April, which saw them both through to the playoffs, despite Eastern Stars' third straight victory, a 6–2 romp of Besta PNG.