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Ethan Lowe will remain in North Queensland in 2019 after the club confirmed he had taken up an option to remain a Cowboy.

Ethan Lowe will remain at North Queensland in 2019 with the second-rower taking up an option to stay at the NRL club.

There had been some suggestion the 27-year-old remained unsigned headed into the pre-season, but the Cowboys confirmed to AAP on Monday he had made the decision to stay in Townsville.

Lowe was influential in last year's run to the grand final, but spent nine weeks in Queensland Cup this year and on the outer at the Cowboys.

North Queensland remain in the midst of a roster overhaul with 2015 premiership winners Lachlan Coote and Kane Linnett released by the club at the end of 2018 and Johnathan Thurston and Antonio Winterstein retiring.

Coote last month signed with Super League club St Helens while Linnett is also understood to have attracted the attention of numerous English clubs.

Former Dally M Medallist Ben Barba headlines the list of arrivals in North Queensland where he will be joined by Nene Macdonald, Kurt Baptiste and Tom Opacic.

North Queensland also confirmed former State of Origin winger Justin O'Neill will remain at the Cowboys after exercising an option to stay with the club.