The NRL will be looking to learn some innovative new practices out of a fact finding mission to North America, according to NRL head of football Todd Greenberg.
Interim referees boss Tony Archer and NRL operations manager Nathan McGuirk are currently partway through a nine day trip to the US and Canada visiting representatives from the NFL and NHL.
"What we're looking to do is try to learn and find innovative ways to improve our game," Greenberg told NRL.com.
"To do that we have to continue to look here and abroad at best practice, and it's great to see some of our key staff getting opportunities at both the NFL and the NHL to look at some of the match officials and some of the procedures and processes they're using. I think it will provide some really good learnings for us."
Archer and McGuirk have visited Metlife Stadium in New York, home of the New York Giants, and are presently in Canada looking at how the NHL is run, Greenberg said.
"They're now in Canada looking at the NHL system for the ice hockey and how they have a video review system all from one central location, just looking at some of that technology and how they're doing t, so it's a great way to learn," he said.
Greenberg has spoken to the pair a number of times during the trip and said the feedback has been positive.
"They're really happy with how it's gone, they've been welcomed over there and I think we'll see a lot of good collaboration between the sports," he said.
