The NRL judiciary charged Penrith’s Viliame Kikau and Cronulla’s Andrew Fifita for illegally using their shoulders during separate matches on Friday night.

The duo are set to miss one game each if they accept early guilty pleas, risking a further match suspension if they unsuccessfully fight the charge.

The judiciary found that Kikau committed a shoulder charge against St George Illawarra’s Darren Nicholls during the Panthers’ 40-18 win against the Dragons.

Fifita’s alleged shoulder charge was on Warrior Lachlan Burr during the Sharks’ 19-18 loss to the team from New Zealand.

The Panthers host the Raiders in round 19, while the Sharks are at home to the Cowboys – both crucial matches for both Penrith and Cronulla, who are stuck among a host of teams vying for top eight positions.