NRL star Johnathan Thurston will be hanging up his football boots in favour of charity work. After 16 seasons on the field, Thurston says he wants to 'use the platform that I have with rugby league to do some good'. When asked if he considered a move into politics, the Queenslander ruled the possibility out completely.

Johnathan Thurston may have stepped off the football field but the NRL great will remain busy.

The legendary halfback will be a key element of the Channel 9 football commentary team but will have his attention on his latest job as dad.

The 35-year-old’s wife Samantha announced baby joy with the pair’s fourth child coming into the world at 8.36am this morning, revealing the birth of Remie Lee Thurston through a collage of pictures on Instagram.

It was a lovely surprise for the couple who announced the pregnancy at the end of last season.

But just after his retirement, Thurston revealed in a Daily Telegraph interview how difficult it had been for he and his wife to start having children.

In 2011, the pair decided to have children but a miscarriage while on holidays in Hawaii saw the pair turn to IVF.

But with the struggle of trying to have kids took its toll, with Samantha even asking Johnathan to leave her.

“I will never be able to give you kids,’’ Samantha recalled telling her now-husband.

“Just go. Find someone else. You need to be with someone that can give you what you want… Give you a family.”

“Never say that again,’’ he told Samantha.

“I am in love with you. No matter how much I want children, I want to spend my life with you more.’’

After agreeing to continue trying IVF, Samantha gave birth to their first child Frankie nine months later.

The NRL star married his long-time sweetheart in a secret ceremony on Hamilton Island in 2015.

The two now have three daughters, with Lillie having Frankie and Charlie to look out for her.

Thurston will not be lost to rugby league however and will mentor 17-year-old Brisbane young gun Tom Dearden, who has been hailed as the NRL’s next “JT”.

According to The Courier Mail on Friday, Dearden has signed with agent Sam Ayoub, who worked with Thurston throughout his career.

“Tom has the perfect mentor in JT,” Ayoub said.

“He is a very different player to Johnathan, but he has great maturity and skill for a 17-year-old.

“I took Tom to watch JT for his last game against the Titans last year, he has always idolised JT and now he is spending time with him.

“Thurston has been doing some work with him. He met up with Tom as the recent QAS development camp, so he’s taken him under his wing.”

With Thurston now out of the Cowboys line up, North Queensland are going through a bit of a transition with the side’s new five-eighth still not decided.

But 21-year-old Jake Clifford, who was going to be overlooked for the role, pulled out a stunning performance in the trial games over the weekend, setting up three tries in a 22-16 win.

It just complicates the selection with preferred half Te Maire Martin also in the hunt.

“It is (neck and neck),” Cowboys coach Paul Green said.

“They both had their moments when they played well and they also both had their moments when they could be better.”

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A risk averse coach would most likely trust Martin who, at 23, is more experienced than his 21-year-old rival.

Both are opportunistic players, but Martin looks steadier at this stage in their auditions.

Clifford’s size, speed and appetite for attacking the line is a tempting package, even if it means wearing the occasional error.

“Getting the balance right is important,” Green said.

“They both have different attributes. They’re both different players.

“Te Maire’s very good at sniffing out an opportunity and he often gets himself in the right spot. Cliffo’s probably got a better kicking game so we’ll have to weigh it up to get that balance right.”