Meanwhile, Duffie has a simple explanation to the Warriors' consistent ability to push the Storm, somewhat puzzling given the two teams' disproportionate achievements in recent years. He says that the Auckland club tend to lift whenever they clash and it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"Past form tends to be irrelevant whenever we meet," says Duffie, "and they seem to grow an extra arm or leg whenever they play against us. The last few times they have got well over 80 per cent completion rates in our matches which is always a good starting point and they find a bit of magic off that."
He doesn't think the 2012 edition is particularly different to last year's team under Ivan Cleary, although notes that Shaun Johnson is getting his hands on the ball "a lot more".
Meanwhile, despite notching eight tries in 14 matches so far this year Duffie has been a little frustrated with his recent form.
"I was happy with the start of the year and was playing well but haven't been as good since," says Duffie.
"I want to have more impact on games."
The 1.92m Duffie was a sensation when he hit the scene in 2010, regularly finding the tryline in his debut NRL season. His management rejected advances from AFL and the New South Wales Waratahs for him, a former track and field star at Auckland's St Kentigern College. He has now played 43 NRL games and will soon turn 22 but at times can still sound like the 17-year-old teenager who impressed Storm scouts back in 2008.
Life in Melbourne is "mint ... pretty sweet" with so many things to do in the Australian metropolis. He talks excitedly of recently being invited to dinner at Slater's house, in what sounded like a back three bonding session.
"It was me, Justin [O'Neil, fellow Storm winger] and Billy," says Duffie. "It was pretty cool actually. Billy is very serious at training and games as you would expect but he's relaxed at home. His wife cooked up a great meal and we played with his kids."
The talented fullback has scored 135 tries in 214 games, six short of the NRL record held by Hazem El-Masri, who achieved his figure in 283 matches.
"I still have to pinch myself sometimes," says Duffie, "It can be surreal seeing some of the things that Billy does on the field and at training - I just shake my head."
Melbourne will be home for a while - he is signed until the end of 2014 - and that suits him just fine. He enjoys the anonymity of Victoria - "it must be hard in Sydney with all the attention, especially after a loss." - and the close bond at the Storm. Coach Craig Bellamy has often praised Duffie's work ethic and commitment to improvement and the player himself hopes to move closer to the action one day, to fullback or centre.
Meanwhile, today's game is a massive tactical challenge for Brian McClennan - his 12th NRL match while Bellamy will check in for his 249th. The issue is how the Storm's attacking brilliance can be contained by the Warriors' porous defence, though Simon Mannering's team are a different proposition on home turf.
