Frizell brothers linked by oval ball

NRL star Tyson Frizell has revealed how immigration laws stopped him from growing up with his younger brother.

That younger sibling is Highlanders flanker Shannon Frizell.

Tyson Frizell, 26, grew up in Australia with his parents, but Shannon, 24, spent his childhood in Tonga.

Immigration laws prevented Shannon from settling in Australia with his adopted family.

‘‘It is something that is pretty common in Tongan culture, to adopt a kid from another family, but he wasn’t able to come over and live with us,’’ Tyson Frizell told NRL.com.

‘‘My mum fought hard at that time to get him over, but wasn’t allowed for some reason. The immigration laws stopped him coming over and that is why we spent so much time over there at that time, so we could be with him.’’

Forced to grow up in different countries, the Frizell brothers went down two different sporting paths, but Tyson told NRL.com they were always able to maintain a close relationship.

‘‘We used to go back to Tonga twice a year to hang out with him and see the family over in Tonga,’’ the St George Illawarra backrower said.

Tyson has played rugby league for Australia and Shannon is being talked about as an All Blacks bolter for the threematch test series against France in June.

He put an exclamation mark on his standout early-season form with a hat-trick for the Highlanders against the Blues in Auckland last month.

Like his league playing brother, Shannon is also eligible to represent Tonga and Wales.

Tyson could have easily been playing against his younger brother in the 15-man code, but turned down an opportunity to join the NSW Waratahs academy, fresh out of school, to focus on an NRL career.

He would play rugby on visits to Tonga to see his younger brother, but neither of them looked like the professional stars they are today.

‘‘I used to go over there and play in village tournaments with Shannon when we were about 14 or 15,’’ Tyson said.

‘‘I was a big, tubby thing and he was a tall, skinny thing, but nothing like that was ever thought about, and I don’t think we ever imagined being where we are today, or even thought it was possible.

‘‘I think we both just grew up playing footy and we enjoyed footy. I don’t think we ever thought we could make a career of it. It wasn’t spoken about at all. It probably seemed like something that was too hard to reach,’’ Tyson explained.