heimu XI inadvertently became the spoilers for a second straight season, as they came back from two down to defeat Grilled 3-2 in a curtain-closer blockbuster at Blackwood Field to propel themselves into the S-League. The Birds, who had been clear frontrunners for most of the season, had to settle for second on goal difference.

Indeed, they looked near-certain for promotion with their strongest start in recent history, winning eight straight league matches before Rapala FC finally burst the bubble with a 3-4 win. Grilled kept at it, though, and with their only other dropped points being a draw against Phantasm Hotspurs, it was only heimu XI's dogged refusal to throw in the towel that kept the race fresh.

There was little more that Grilled could have done, and Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim's long-awaited Golden Boot softened the blow somewhat. The team's firepower was never in doubt even with Chow Ying Lee's major injury in mid-season, with no side coming close to shutting the team out - Grilled scored three or more in 18 of the 20 competitive matches played, achieving a grand total of 94, with only heimu XI and Cup conquerers AC Fantasista starving them down to two.

Squad stability again contributed much as Niculae Stanca displayed his management spurs, with former national youth defenders Liang Liyong and Rashid bin Ahmad arriving for a total of just over S$6 million. This led to the departure of Lin Jungui, whom many had thought likely to end his career at Grilled. The season break saw former captain Gleb Dorogan make a sensational return on the cheap, while a putative move back home for Seytek Djekshenkulov fell through.