Perth

After beating the NRL to the punch by playing a premiership fixture on the other side of the world, English officials have revealed there had been discussions about a Perth team joining the likes of Toronto, New York, London and Toulouse in an expanded Super League.

"We've got New York and a number of other areas very interested and there are whispers from Perth that they are interested because there is a direct flight now into London," Wigan owner Ian Lenagan said.

The defending champion Spirit are the competition's top try-scorers, have made the most attacking metres and clean breaks, beaten the most defenders and won the most turnovers.

Both teams are level on ten points with two wins from three games but the only stats the Fijians lead the competition in are yellow cards and penalties conceded.

Head coach Senirusi Seruvakula says the Drua are looking forward to playing in front of a big home crowd in Suva with a chance to go clear at the top of the table.

The result was only the beginning of the New Zealand based team's woes, as they endured a nightmare day in Perth.

Veteran Ryan Hoffman and young forward Albert Vete both face extended stints on the sidelines after copping broken bones.

Vete broke his arm in the first half of the loss, while Hoffman didn't even get on the field.

The 33-year-old's final season at the Warriors will now be heavily shortened after he broke a metatarsal bone in his foot while stretching at the team hotel.

Who would have thought silkworms could be used to repair damaged eardrums?

A team with researchers based in Perth and Melbourne is moving towards clinical trials of a device that incorporates silk in an ear implant.

Named "ClearDrum", it looks like a contact lens, but is instead a device on which the patient's cells can grow.

Perth-based surgeon Professor Marcus Atlas said silk was the preferred choice because it was flexible.