He is also in his 11th season for the Volts.
It is not often you come across a 28-year-old with that much experience.
The right-armer made his debut as a 17-year-old in a televised T20 game in Hamilton.
Cricket seemed pretty easy for him. He snaffled three for 19 that night.
His second wicket was none other than Kane Williamson.
A star was born. Then it dimmed.
Cricket is not always easy. Most of the time, it is just hard.
Duffy’s combination of accuracy and swing was a successful recipe at domestic level.
But he got it in his head he would need to bowl quicker to make it at international level.
He spent the winter of 2016 searching for more heat. He added a few clicks but at the expense of accuracy and swing.
Duffy had started bowling round-arm and was falling away towards cover in his follow-through.
Former Volts coach Rob Walter made the bold call to send Duffy back to the nets to work on remodelling his action.
The towering Southlander returned a reformed character. He was bowling nice and tall, the ball was landing where he wanted it and he was generating swing.
And, most importantly, he was taking wickets again — right up until last summer, when his form suddenly deserted him again.
But this time Duffy had a map to find his way back.
"If you are in the game for long enough, you are going to get skinned, especially if you are a bowler," Duffy said.
"You have your ups and downs. But I feel like I’m coming into my prime now and just feel on top of my game at the moment.
"But I still look back at that bowling boot camp you talk about and that is still the best thing I’ve ever done. I learnt a lot about myself and what I need to do to be at my best.
"If things are starting to fall off, I still go back to that today."
The secret for Duffy is to concentrate on an efficient action and to dial back on the energy.
"It is like a golf swing — sometimes the harder you try, the worse you get. It probably took me eight years to figure that out."
Duffy has certainly got the mix between effort and efficiency right this season. He is the second leading wicket-taker in the Plunket Shield with 22 wickets at an average of 21.36, and he has eight wickets at 11.25 in three Ford Trophy games.
Otago will need him back at his best today. Duffy will spearhead the Volts’ attack against a quality Canterbury batting unit in a Ford Trophy game at Hagley Oval.
Black Caps Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell boost a formidable top five.
Canterbury’s bowling is top-drawer as well. Matt Henry will lead the charge with the ball, while Ed Nuttall and Will O’Rourke teamed up to help bowl out Wellington for 79 on Thursday.
Black Caps legspinner Ish Sodhi is in the 12 as well and has enjoyed good success against Otago.
Otago has made one change to the side dispatched by 123 runs by Central Districts in New Plymouth on December 4. Left-arm spinner Ben Lockrose has been replaced by all-rounder Jake Gibson in the 12.
With Glenn Phillips, Dean Foxcroft and Josh Finnie all slow bowling options, and wrist spinner Michael Rippon good for 10 overs each game, Otago has plenty of options.
Gibson shapes as the 12th man. Foxcroft got those duties last week, but the Volts need to shore up their batting following a couple of lean efforts against Central Districts.
Otago captain Hamish Rutherford played his way back in to form with a century in club cricket at the weekend.
He has had a lean run at the top so far this season. But like Duffy, he will have a map to find his way back.
Ford Trophy
Hagley Oval, 11am
Otago: Hamish Rutherford (captain), Llew Johnson, Dale Phillips, Glenn Phillips, Dean Foxcroft, Josh Finnie, Michael Rippon, Max Chu, Jacob Duffy, Matt Bacon, Michael Rae, Jake Gibson.
Canterbury: Chad Bowes, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham, Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Cameron Fletcher, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ed Nuttall, Will O’Rourke, Leo Carter.
