REFEREES boss Bill Harrigan says he is looking forward to sitting down with Ray Warren to discuss the commentator's idea of awarding a differential penalty for stripping offences.

The stripping penalty remains one of the most contentious calls in the game, with fears a wrong call could cost a side victory in the dying stages of a match.

Under Warren's proposal, teams would have to take a tap or kick for touch rather than opt for a penalty goal. This would stop a game being decided by what could, on review, be deemed a loose carry. While there is no chance of a rule change mid-season, Harrigan said it would be explored in an off-season review.

''It's something we'll certainly talk about later on because 'Rabs' [Warren] has had more time in the game than I've had,'' Harrigan said. ''With someone of his stature in the game, you'd be crazy not to listen.''

Harrigan said his initial reaction, and that of his colleagues, was that coaches could manipulate ''Rabbits' Rule''. ''Whenever you tamper with a rule, whether changing it or the interpretation of it, you have to think it through in detail,'' Harrigan said.

''A penalty is there as a deterrent not to do something like that. So if you did that for strips and you were 30 metres out from your line with a minute to go, you might think, 'OK, I'll go for a little, subtle strip here. If I get caught, what's the worst they can do? Kick it into touch and have a crack at us.'

''You might do it early in the tackle count, they get the penalty and by the time they get the ball and the penalty, anything between 20 or 30 seconds may have elapsed. Then they've got one throw of the dice at you with 10-15 seconds to go. All you have to do is hold out and you win the game, whereas if you got caught, they take a shot for goal and you could lose or go to extra time.

''That's just one of the things that could happen.''