Fresh off being handed the Brisbane Broncos' five-eighth jersey over Ezra Mam for this weekend's clash with the Gold Coast Titans, Tom Duffy is set to lock up his future with a new deal at Red Hill.
Originally off-contract at the end of this year, Duffy took a punt on leaving the North Queensland Cowboys for the Brisbane Broncos at the start of this year.
Duffy has impressed in his opportunities though, playing one game at halfback when Adam Reynolds was out, and coming off the bench in two more recetly.
The Townsville-born product, once seen as the future of the Cowboys before Tom Dearden become the club's saviour, has shown plenty, and will now go into a three-way race the arriving Jonah Pezet, who is currently injured at the Parramatta Eels, and club veteran Ben Hunt, who has indicated he wants to play on, to replace the retiring Adam Reynolds at halfback.
News Corp are reporting Duffy is on the verge of signing a new deal, and while it hasn't happened yet, it's undersood he will be locked up at the club until at least the end of 2028.
With negotiations in what are believed to be advanced stages, it will raise significant question marks around what the Broncos look like in the spine moving forward.
There is no secret the club are stretched in the salary cap department, with fullback Reece Walsh, centre Kotoni Staggs, forward Patrick Carrigan and axed five-eighth Ezra Mam at the top of their earning list.
Mam is signed long-term, and there is nearly no chance his jersey will be up for grabs permanently moving forward, despite coach Maguire sending a strong message to his squad this week after a three-game losing streak became four on the weekend, dropping two competition points at home to the hapless St George Illawarra Dragons.
That leaves Pezet, who joins from the Parramatta Eels in 2027 and was once viewed as the future of the Melbourne Storm, up against Hunt and Duffy.
Pezet was viewed as the walk up Reynolds replacement when he joined, but that is a little less clear given his form and fitness struggles in the west of Sydney.
If Duffy auditions well in the coming weeks, the headache will pick up for Maguire, who must make a decision on his first-choice halves for next year.
