Penrith’s hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon have taken a hit with star centre Michael Jennings handed two charges by the NRL match review committee on Monday.

Jennings is facing a one-week ban if he takes early guilty pleas for the charges stemming from the Panthers’ 20-10 loss to Canberra on Sunday.

The NSW flyer was given a grade-one dangerous contact charge and a grade-one high tackle count.

Jennings was ruled to have tackled Canberra’s Josh McCrone late after he put through a kick during the first half, while his high tackle was on back-rower Joe Picker early in the second half.

Penrith are equal on points with bottom-placed Parramatta but have a slightly better points differential with three games to play and face the Warriors in New Zealand on Sunday.