The Wests Tigers remain sceptical but hopeful the dual referee format for the 2009 NRL season will increase the speed of rugby league.

Boasting some of the quickest and most elusive dummy half runners in the game, the Tigers are liking the prospect of greater policing around the ruck if it gives their little men more room to move.

But coach Tim Sheens isn't so sure having an extra whistleblower standing over contests will result in faster play the balls.

"I don't see why everyone assumes the game will be quicker with a second referee," said Sheens.

"What is he going to run in and tell people to get off, it doesn't necessarily mean they will.

"In my experience with what I've seen so far they're still experimenting how they operate and it'll be interesting to see how that develops over the first few rounds.

"We've had them here and done a 40 minute scrimmage of full contact with the referees and there was some issues. But in saying that I agree with the principle but think it's a long way from being 100 per cent.

"If the speed of the game improves at the ruck well that is only going to benefit our game.

"We play that game and it won't be just running for the sake of running from dummy half, we like to think we're creative from dummy half."

Hooker and captain Robbie Farah admitted he was initially "a bit suss" on the idea of having two referees but is slowly warming to the concept.

"The second referee behind the ruck I thought might get in the way because we like to test the markers out a bit," said Farah.

"Hopefully it does clean it up a bit. With dominant and surrender tackles the game has slowed down. If it does speed up a bit I think it will suit me."

Meanwhile Sheens said he would take his time shifting centre Chris Lawrence into a permanent five-eighth.

Lawrence is earmarked to wear the No.6 in the future, but Sheens wants to give new halfback Benji Marshall time to adapt to the No.7 before making another key positional change.

"I'm experimenting one change in the halves and it would be a big risk for me and I think it would be too disruptive for the team to experiment with two," said Sheens.

"What I'd like to do is probably blood Chris slowly into that position.

"At the moment he is representative standard centre and plays his best football there.

"He is 20 years of age, I'm not going to ask him to do things he can't do just yet.

"He will be drip-fed little opportunities to play five-eighth at set pieces but overall it might be 12 months to decide if Marshall is successful at seven before I start worrying about a young 20 year old six next to him."

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