While there were no doubts about the diminutive fullback’s talent with the ball in hand, his speed, agility and outstanding skills, questions swirled about Dufty’s ability to make it in a competition that had seemingly become the land of the giants, with 120 kilogram forwards running around on a weekly basis. 

But the 22-year-old never questioned his ability to make it in the NRL, knowing there was still a place in the competition for smaller, nimbler players. 

On Sunday he comes up against Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater, one of those players who inspired him to persist in the face of adversity.  

Slater has been among the best fullbacks in the competition for the past 15 years, his 179 centimentre, 89kg frame no impediment to a glittering career featuring over 300 NRL games, 29 Origins and 30 Tests for Australia. 

“It’s my first time coming up against Billy Slater,” Dufty said. “He was an idol growing up, has been the best fullback in the NRL for the last 10-12 years and I’m very excited and honoured to play against him.

“He’s like me, he’s not one of the biggest players running around but he does everything the best. As a fullback he does everything, catches the ball on the full, stops tries, and he’s someone I can look up to.”

While Slater has produced countless highlight reel plays throughout his career, there is one particular moment that has stuck in Dufty’s mind as he has grown up.

“That chip and chase in Origin he did [Game Two 2004], everyone did that once or twice and said ‘that’s Billy Slater’, that’s probably the memory that comes to mind.”

Despite debuting for St George Illawarra late last season, the questions surrounding Dufty’s ability to cope in the NRL continued throughout the off-season.

It was during this period, however, that Dufty was grinding away at the Dragons WIN Stadium base, adding muscle to his wiry frame and working on his tackling technique, St George Illawarra’s sizeable forward pack providing the perfect tackle bags. 

“I have to tackle forwards all the time at training, it gets me physically ready” Dufty said. “If you have to tackle forwards all the time at training you’re going to be ready for the game.

“If you’ve got big Lesson running at you there’s not much bigger and stronger than him. It helps with your goal line defence, if you’re holding up big boys like that at training, it goes a long way in games.

“I just try to prepare the same way every week, get my weights and my tackles in.”