Kalyn Ponga Siblings: Meet his brother Kacey Ponga

Kacey Ponga is the brother of Kalyn Ponga, an Australian professional rugby league footballer.

Kacey, his younger brother, was only 18 months old when he drowned after falling down an open septic tank at a Mount Isa park during a rugby clinic.

Ponga was only seven years old at the time. ‘At that point in time, I understood what was going on, but I didn’t understand the effect it had on the people you love,’ Ponga told The Sunday Mail.

‘I was just a little kid. As I got older, and definitely now, I can see why it’s brought us so close. Life’s pretty short, so you have to make the most of it.

Kalyn Ponga has a bumblebee tattoo on his left ankle as a special tribute to Kacey. ‘That is his way of recognising his brother, rather than having his name and birthday,’ his dad Andre tells The Weekend Australian.

Six years after Kacey drowned, his mother Adine had a stroke shortly after giving birth to his sister Kayley. While his mother was recovering, Kalyn, 13, assisted his father in raising Kayley.

As of this writing, Kalyn Ponga captains and plays fullback for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL).