Jun 29th, 2017

Jun 29th, 2017

Two years after they first tried to sign him, North Queensland believe it will be worth the wait when they finally unleash ex-Penrith playmaker Te Maire Martin as Johnathan Thurston's replacement against Canberra.

Martin, 21, will make his North Queensland debut against the Raiders on Saturday just two weeks after ending an ill-fated Panthers stint.

Cowboys assistant Todd Payten first took notice of Martin as a Wests Tigers Holden Cup player in 2014.

The next year Payten did his best to lure Martin to North Queensland and thought he had him after a tour of Townsville, only for Penrith's Phil Gould to strike.

In the end Martin only played a total of 13 first grade games for Penrith before falling out with coach Anthony Griffin this year.

Payten was glad to have finally got his man.

"I pushed very hard to get him the first time around," he said.

"But he chose to go to Penrith which is what happens.

"But I am very happy he is here now. He has proven to be an astute signing for us."

Payten said Martin looked set to regain his mojo combining in the halves with Queensland's Michael Morgan after a frustrating one and a half season Penrith stint.

"The last nine months haven't been great for him but since he has been here I have seen his confidence shoot back," he said of Martin, who has not played NRL since round seven.

"He's a very intelligent footballer.

"He's taken on what we are doing fairly quickly.

"We've got seven weeks until we come into the finals.

"That's ample time to get some combinations going - I think the kid will be fine."

Cowboys enforcer Jason Taumalolo couldn't wait to run alongside his Kiwi Four Nations teammate again.

"He's a great fella. He played Four Nations and he definitely belongs at that level," he said.

"One of the traits he has is he is just unpredictable.

"He is a good playmaker and ball runner.

"I am as excited as anyone else about his first game for the Cowboys."

Martin signed a three year deal with North Queensland after securing the mid-season Penrith release.

He is set to slot into five-eighth for the rest of the season as replacement for co-captain Thurston (shoulder).

©AAP2017