Warriors welcome ref

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Ivan Cleary is happy after his chat with referees boss Robert Finch, the Warriors have the NRL's top ref on Sunday

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has welcomed the decision to appoint the NRL's top ranked referee Tony Archer to control their home match with the Titans on Sunday.

It is just the third time in two years Archer has controlled a Warriors match.

Cleary says Archer's appointment is timely after his recent request for a chat with referees boss Robert Finch. That came after the lopsided penalty count in the win over Penrith. He says they can go into the game with confidence it is going to be officiated well.

The Warriors are sixth on the NRL ladder, ahead of the Titans courtesy of a superior points differential.

Meanwhile, Cleary has heard it all before when it comes to talks of a strike from the NRL's leading players and is reluctant to be drawn into the debate over whether they need a pay rise.

A report out of Australia claims NRL players are considering boycotting the Four Nations because of the delay in setting up the independent commission to run the game.

However Cleary says his priority is to make sure the players are looked after on the field, not off it and he is confident the situation will come to nothing once the tournament kicks off.

The players want a bigger slice of the money generated by the NRL finals series as well as getting State of Origin payments doubled. The NRL and players union are in discussions over a new collective bargaining agreement.