Heritier Lumumba concedes his farewell speech to Collingwood at last month's Copeland Trophy didn't come out quite the way he wanted. But he needn't worry about his public debut as a Melbourne player.
Lumumba, fronting the media on Friday for the first time as a Demon, spoke honestly and impressively about his time with and departure from the Magpies, and the possibilities for him and his new teammates in Melbourne colours.
The premiership defender, who finished fourth in Collingwood's best and fairest this year, was the subject of some mocking for his address that evening, which spoke about his cultural awakening during his time with the Pies, and the changing of his name from Harry O'Brien.
"I am human; I make mistakes," Lumumba said on Friday of that speech. "That was a difficult period for me. It didn't come out the way that I wanted it to, but hey, I wouldn't change a thing because I learnt a lot about myself.
"What I did really want to say is that I got to the Collingwood Football Club and my name was Harry O'Brien. I was a young, thin boy from Perth, very self-conscious. I didn't know much about myself, and I disowned half of my cultural identity.
"And I leave the Collingwood Football Club going to a new phase in my life, reclaiming part of my identity and the way I have been able to conquer a lot of the issues I had around having such a different name has been to re-engage with the true meaning [of his birth name]. That's something I am really proud of and something that will hold me in good stead for rest of my life.
"There was a lot of emotion in that speech. I wear my heart on my sleeve, I really do care a lot about things I'm passionate about, and I'm really grateful that I can focus my passion on the Melbourne Football Club. This is the beginning of a brand new journey for me."
Lumumba said he had always watched Melbourne coach Paul Roos from afar and thought he'd enjoy being coached by him, but it was a visit to Roos's home which finally convinced him to join the Demons.
"I met up with his family, [wife] Tammy and his two boys Tyler and Dylan, and I saw the way he interacted with his family. I told him it was Tammy who got me over the line because she was just fantastic," he said.
"He's a great family man, and his two sons are young men, 18 and 21. We've got a lot of young players on our list that age, and I just saw the way he was interacting with them and thought: 'Gee, I really do think it would be a great environment to be in."
Lumumba met some of his new teammates before he started training with the club last week at the recent wedding of another former Pie now Demon in Chris Dawes. And he says after having a closer look at Melbourne's senior list, and playing against the Demons in this year's Queen's Birthday game, he was genuinely optimistic about the team's future.
"I think there's a lot of promise, I really do," he said. "The difference between last season's Queen's Birthday game and a couple of years ago was huge.
"We were confronted with a young, relentless team which was committed to defending well. I know full well defence is the thing that wins premierships, so if that's the foundation upon which the club is building its future, I think there's a really bright future ahead."
Lumumba insisted his friendship with his former coach Nathan Buckley remained strong, and likened his departure from the Westpac Centre just 100 metres up Swan Street to AAMI Park to a marriage or relationship which needed to end but with both parties on good terms.
"Even when 'Bucks' wasn't at Collingwood he was a huge resource for me and I'm sure he will continue to be. We have a shared love for Collingwood which will always remain and I really look forward to still having him in my life. There's no animosity between us at all."
And he says he will continue to speak out on issues which are of importance to him, with the blessing of his new club.
"The issue I represent predominantly is multi-culturalism, which is actually a very important part of our game," he said. "It's something I have spoken to the club about and they have no issues with me continuing with my involvement with the AFL multi-cultural program.
"I'm going to try to develop that part of myself off the field, but my first role and only role here is as a footballer, and to be a leader and share some of those experiences I've learned at Collingwood with these players."
