I THINK I've uncovered a conspiracy. The Australians are destroying their domestic rugby league purely to fund it's resurgence writes Chris Hall

Their National Sport Academy has achieved its goal in creating the world's finest athletes in...well, just about everything, far earlier than expected. And now they must wreck one of the disciplines they dominate and rebuild it again to justify the continued funding of the project.

How else can you explain the succession of needless and damaging revolutions which the National Rugby League is implementing?

After the unlimited interchange law and the dismal decision to end the excitement of drawn games by playing an American football-style overtime period, they are now working towards the introduction of substitutions for referees.

The theory is to help eradicate bad decisions which, apparently, are caused by fatigue. What nonsense.

The disruption this could cause to individual matches is far reaching, with games potentially won or lost on which team adapts the quickest to the substitute's refereeing style.

And for what? An extra couple of correct decisions, spread over a whole season?

When will people learn to accept human error as part of sport? New technology, extra referees and video replays have made only marginal improvements to the sports which have accepted them and this would prove no different. And would we want it to work, anyway?

Whingeing about the referee is the divine right of every fan. It is our sole consolation when our team blows their chances of silverware for the umpteenth time.

Take that away, and watch the suicide rates soar in Leeds and Wigan.

WIDNES Vikings should hang their heads in shame for their sulking over Warrington Wolves' promotional poster, which depicts the town as choking on fumes from their chemical factories and rivers full of three-eyed fish.

Surely they could have hit back with a wittier reposte. By not entering into the banter, they depict themselves as lacking a sense of humour and are missing out on a perfect marketing opportunity. Nothing sells a match better than a war of words.

IT is an insult to the British game that Willie Talau admits he has forsaken his international career by joining St Helens.

The days of British-based Kiwis being overlooked for Test places appeared to have disappeared, with the likes of Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana and Leslie Vainikolo all earning regular call-ups.

If new national coach Daniel Anderson continues to look no further than Sydney harbour for players, as he did for last month's Trans-Tasman Test, he will be turning his back on a rich seam of talent and condemning his country to also-rans.