 With one round remaining the Canberra Raiders were outright first on the ladder and favoured to participate in their 4th grand final in just 5 years.This was not to be however as a horrific leg injury sidelined Ricky Stuart for the last round of competition and the finals series.The Raiders went on to lose to Canterbury in round 22 of the competition and then to Brisbane and St George in the finals, all of which they had beat easily during the preceding season.