A day after being released by South Sydney, former Queensland Origin utility Shannon Hegarty has been snapped up by the North Queensland Cowboys on a one-year deal.

Mackay-bred Hegarty, 29, is a veteran of 168 NRL games but he only played 59 times for the Rabbitohs after moving from the Sydney Roosters in 2004.

He had been contracted to South Sydney until the end of the upcoming season however both parties reached an agreement for a release on Thursday.

The Cowboys said Hegarty - a veteran of three Origins and another three Tests - was keen to go "back to his roots" after playing his junior football in north Queensland.

"A player of Shannon's experience and ability will be a valuable asset to the club," Cowboys CEO Peter Parr said.

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