The Cowboys pack is already one of the most feared in the NRL, and the club has now added former Origin and Test prop Ben Hannant to its ranks on a one-year deal.
Hannant's move north from Brisbane puts an end to months of speculation surrounding the front-rower's future, as it was confirmed with Wayne Bennett's arrival at the Broncos that he would have to take a significant pay cut to stay at the club beyond 2014.
The 29-year-old attracted the interest of Titans coach Neil Henry, who he had met with in the past month, as well as Melbourne and Manly before plumping for a Cowboys outfit that has strong potential to challenge for next year's title.
Hannant boasts 12 Origins with the Maroons, six Australian caps and 192 games in the NRL, and will go some way to filling the void left in the North Queensland pack created by the departure of the Sims brothers Ashton and Tariq.
Hannant's arrival in Townsville sees the big man join an all-international prop rotation that includes current Kangaroos bookends Matt Scott and James Tamou.
The Cowboys will be Hannant's fourth club in the NRL since making his debut with the Roosters in 2005, followed by separate stints with the Broncos – where he won a premiership in 2006 – and two years at Canterbury.
"I'm really looking forward to the opportunities that playing with the Cowboys will present," Hannant said in a Cowboys statement.
"They have a high calibre roster looking to take the next step and it's going to be great to be able to train and play with the likes of JT (captain Johnathan Thurston) and Matt Scott who I know really well from Origin."
