The emergence of a talented young crop of forwards has been the shining light for what has been a dire season for the St George Illawarra Dragons.

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Jacob Halangahu hopes to be part of this young group now that he has been recalled to the Dragons NRL team after a seven-week stint playing for the club's NSW Cup team.

Jacob Halangahu has been recalled to St George Illawarra Dragons' NRL squad for the clash against Canberra after a seven-week stint playing in the NSW Cup. Picture by Adam McLean

The 19-year-old will make just his fifth appearance for St George Illawarra this season when the Red V travel to Canberra on Sunday to take on the Raiders.

The round 10 loss to the Newcastle Knights at WIN Stadium was Halangahu's last first-grade game. He came off the interchange bench and played 17 minutes.

Since then, the former Australian Schoolboys captain has had to cool his jets in the NSW Cup team, where Halangahu has reverted to playing as a middle forward, as opposed to his usual position as an edge forward.

Halangahu was excited about being back in the NRL arena.

"It's exciting. The last seven weeks, I've gone back and worked on myself, and I've worked on my game in the NSW Cup.

"It feels really good to get a recall into the NRL," he said.

Halangahu, who has played nine games for the Dragons since making his NRL debut in last season's Round 23 local derby triumph over the Cronulla Sharks, was also keen to show his wares playing as a middle forward.

"It was definitely a big change when it first came on, but I've played nearly seven weeks there now in the middle, and I'm starting to get better, slowly getting out 80 minutes. I think the last two or three weeks, I've played 80 minutes in the Cup games in the middle. I'm enjoying it," he said.

"I think it's starting to suit me a lot better. I'm on the ball a lot more, I'm in the game a lot more, I don't have to kind of wait for the game to come to me, so I'm enjoying it, and it's good to have that versatility in my game."

Halangahu said he understood the club's decision to drop him to the NSW Cup, adding it would make him a better first-grader.

"I understand that I'm still young and I've got a long future ahead of me, so I took that on board," he said.

"I took going back to the Cup with two hands. I enjoyed playing both grades, the NRL and NSW Cup.

"I'm the captain at the moment of the NSW Cup, so whenever I get the chance to go back there, I take that with two hands, and I like to lead the boys around the park.

"We have some good young forwards as it is.

"I think the proof's there over the last couple of weeks. Loko's [Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga] earned his stripes; he's starting. You've got the Couchies there, it's good to see Eagle back as well, and Hamish has taken on that new role as well in the back row.

"I definitely think the proof is there, the evidence is there as well.

"All those boys have come through together. To see them earn their stripes and start, that's something I want to be a part of."

Sunday's clash against the Raiders at GIO Stadium kicks off at 2pm.