Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston join Billy Slater to guide the Maroons

Maroons head coach Billy Slater has confirmed that Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston will join Josh Hannay as their assistant coaches. 

Smith and Thurston have together played 79 matches and now will team up with Slater and 2006 Origin series winner Hannay. 

Slater is equally excited about teaming up with Thurston, an Origin record-holder with 220 points from 99 goals, five tries and two field goals in his 37 games. 

Slater says that Thurston brought brilliant stuff to the game, but for him, it was the work ethic that he demanded from himself, which in turn he demanded from his teammates. 

He says Thurston's last moment in Origin was kicking that pressure goal and he's a valuable asset, not just with the coaching staff, but the players in particular.