Former AFL player Kayne Pettifer takes field just hours after learning of family tragedy

Former Richmond player Kayne Pettifer has paid tribute to his uncle and aunt, who were killed in an horrific crash in northern Victoria at the weekend.

Pettifer’s uncle Joe and aunt Jenny Baggow had begun their drive back to Queensland when their SUV collided with a ute towing a boat just after 8am on Saturday.

The pair, both in their 60s, died instantly. Five other people were also injured in the crash.

“To get that phone call about people who’ve done everything for everyone else, to go the way they did, it was very sad,” Pettifer told 9NEWS.

Pettifer played a semi-final for Kyabram just hours after learning of the tragedy and earned his team a spot in the Goulburn Valley League grand final.

The crash came just two weeks after another of Pettifer’s uncles was killed in an accident in Queensland.

In 2009, Pettifer lost his father Mick in a car crash in New South Wales.

Pettifer played 113 games for Richmond between 2001 and 2009.