Australia and Maroons forward Josh McGuire has signed a four-year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys.

McGuire played 194 NRL games across 10 seasons for the Brisbane Broncos and will join the Cowboys from 2019.

The 28-year-old has also featured 11 times for Queensland and on eight occasions for the Kangaroos, and Cowboys head coach Paul Green was delighted to reunite with McGuire.

"I coached Josh as a junior at both the Queensland Academy of Sport and the Broncos Academy and have followed his career closely," he said.

"His development over the years has really impressed me and to reconnect and have the opportunity to work with him again is something I'm personally really looking forward to.

"I'm really excited about what Josh can bring to the Cowboys."

The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing season in which they finished 13th in the table.

But Cowboys director of football Peter Parr is excited by the squad being assembled at North Queensland.

"We have been looking to strengthen our squad by signing another quality middle forward and clearly as a current Australian and Queensland player Josh fits that bill," Parr said.

"As a player he has the attributes other players like to have in a team-mate and we are excited to have someone of Josh's quality joining the likes of Jordan McLean, Matt Scott, Scott Bolton and Jason Taumalolo in the middle of the field.

"With his experience he'll be able to help with the continued education of some of our younger forwards including Corey Jensen, Emry Pere and Francis Molo."