Bulls chief Peter Hood today warned Super League that following Australia’s lead and adopting TWO referees would be like “jumping from a ninth floor window.”

The NRL will have a second whistle-blower for all matches next year with the main official controlling play from within the defensive ten-metre and the other policing the play-the-ball.

The English game has often replicated moves in the southern hemisphere so the radical change could potentially materialise over here.

But Bradford chairman Hood urged caution and said: “A lot of people say if the Aussies went up to the ninth floor and jumped out of the window, we’d go and follow them.

“We do have some form for following what happens in the NRL and we need to be careful.

“I’d just say while we’re running up those stairs let’s just pause for a few seconds before we leap!”

Under the new NRL format, the referee overseeing the play-the-ball will not be able to blow his whistle if any stoppages or penalties need to be called.

Instead he’ll have to communicate with the main ref but the two controlling any game will spend time filling both roles.

Hood sees the benefits of the plan but doesn’t feel Super League warrants the same attention for two main reasons.

“If we wanted to do it where are the refs of a suitable calibre going to come from?” he asked.

“The rugby league community in this country may hold the view the quality of full-time refs we currently have isn’t up to standard. So where would we magic up twice as many from?

“Also, we have two different styles of play-the-ball which was so obvious in the World Cup.

“The tackle area in Australia may need someone specifically monitoring it but ours isn’t the same so do we need that?”

Super League bosses haven’t mooted the subject yet but if any change was to be made, Hood sees more scope for extra touch judges as the most viable proposal.

“Maybe we should double their number and have four in total,” he said. “It might be more feasible for us to actually find more touch judges than refs.

“But also, with the game getting so fast, by patrolling just one half, they would have a far better chance of keeping up with play.

“If an outside back makes a break and only has the full-back to beat, sometimes touch judges will miss the final pass because they just can’t run 100 metres as quickly as these players.

“He has no chance of then spotting a forward pass at the end of it. This is something I have occasionally speculated about at meetings.”

Hood added: “What’s happening in Australia is an interesting development and I’m sure we’ll all be watching to see what happens with great interest.

“In its favour, the more refs we get at the highest level of the game and on the pitch, the less likely it becomes that a game is going to be decided by a referee’s mistake – which does happen, however innocently.

“In American Football they have XXX officials out on the pitch as well as the senior referee.”

NRL chief executive David Gallop said: “This is a major step and another demonstration of the priority that is placed in officiating our game.

“Referees face an incredibly tough role in our game and we have been committed to ensuring they receive the support they need in preparing for that role – from full-time employment to providing all necessary resources.

“This decision is a fundamental change to the refereeing model and one that reflects the pace and demands of today’s game.

“Not for a second do I think this will stop people arguing about on-field decisions but they can’t argue about the professionalism or the dedication of those involved in making the decisions.”