COWBOYS playmaker Michael Morgan is determined to ensure his dominance last season won’t be a flash in the pan as the club faces the headache of ensuring his game “doesn’t go backwards” with Johnathan Thurston back in the fold.

After last year’s grand final loss to Melbourne, Morgan said coach Paul Green may tweak a few things with his halves partnership with Thurston after he thrived under the added responsibility without the star no.7.

Morgan was named Dally M halfback of the year and will revert back to five-eighth with Thurston fit to return for his farewell season after missing most of 2017 with a shoulder injury.

“I don’t want my game to go backwards at all and lose what I built on last year, I want to continue to go forward and get better as a player and I’m sure Greeny’s all for that as well,” Morgan said.

“The way JT plays, his personality as a player is to be on the ball all the time and want the ball. Because he’s fit he can continually do that, and while he’s doing that you don’t want to get in his way.

“There was a few things today (Tuesday’s training) that were a bit different that I haven’t done last year, hopefully I can get used to that pretty quickly.

“The way we’ve been playing the last couple of years is the halfback was on the ball a lot more and is a lot more involved.

“It led on from the year I had at fullback where I fell back to the role where JT was the main half and we had Cootey (Lachlan Coote) and myself either side playing that out the back sweeping role.

“I don’t know whether there will be one dominant person or we’ll share it around a bit I’m not too sure yet.”

Morgan is off contract at the end of the year and his future will be a hot topic until he signs on the dotted line.

The Cowboys are strong favourites given he’s a local junior and Thurston’s retirement will free up significant salary cap room to hand the 26-year-old Kangaroos and Queensland Origin star an upgrade.

“I’s been spoken about but nothing to the extent of a deal being done. I’m sure in the next few weeks it’ll start picking up again.

“At the moment I’d probably think so (the Cowboys are favourites). I’m happy here.

“I don’t know if there’s any money left because Jason (Taumalolo) took it all. We just have to do our best now and play for a pie and a coke.”