THEY began the NRL season with four hooking prospects, but Cronulla will now enter Saturday’s clash against the Sydney Roosters without a recognised rake.

The Sharks are officially in a hooking crisis after confirmation rookie Jayden Brailey will undergo surgery to repair a jaw broken in two places during Sunday’s loss to Manly.

Experienced No.9 James Segeyaro is still at least a week away from returning from an arm injury, while Manaia Cherrington was released to the Warriors earlier this month.

Fourth-choice Daniel Mortimer, who had played in the Sharks’ past two games, left the Shire on Monday to take up a long-term deal with English club Leigh in the Super League.

Round 20

“He’s getting to that point of his career where he’s got an opportunity to head there for two-and-a-half years and we’re giving him that opportunity to take it up,” coach Shane Flanagan said of Mortimer.

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Jayden Brailey is helped off with a broken jaw. Source: AAP

“We’ll battle on, we’ve got a plan. We’ll be okay.”

It leaves Cronulla without an available player in their squad who has started a game at No.9.

The most likely option will see back-up halfback Fa’amanu Brown play hooker, while backrower Joseph Paulo could spend time at dummy-half off the bench.

Brown has made just three appearances this year — two of them at five-eighth — but is considered a hooking option by future club Canterbury. Brown last month signed a two-year deal with the Bulldogs, beginning next season.

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Jayden’s younger brother, Blayke, has starred in the under-20s for the first- placed Sharks, but at age 18 would likely be considered too inexperienced. The club’s 28-year-old reserve grade hooker, Kurt Kara, has also never played first grade.

Meanwhile Flanagan said he had no regrets over his decision not to rest any of his five Origin stars on Sunday, despite the Sharks’ 17-point, lacklustre loss to the Sea Eagles.

“The score probably indicates how they handled their back up,” Flanagan said.

“They all wanted to play. There were no players carrying little niggles. If they were carrying little niggles I would’ve rested them, but that’s not an excuse for us today.”

Wade Graham was a lone standout, running 165 metres, while Andrew Fifita failed to reach three figures in the category for the first time at club level this season.