Injured Tiger Mykelti Lefau has put "getting back to my culture" on top of his list ahead of a preseason trip with teammates to Samoa.
The Aotearoa-born, rugby league convert is headed to his nation of heritage for the first time alongside other Richmond players on the road back from ACL injuries.
"I can't believe we're actually going," Lefau told reporters on Friday.
The 26-year-old said family were excitedly waiting for his arrival in Samoa, joking of rumours he's a "big celebrity" coming over.
The group, featuring Josh Gibcus, Tylar Young, Taj Hotton and Judson Clarke alongside Lefau, are set to engage with local culture and school visits for clinics.
Lefau will also visit his grandparents' village for the first time.
"Just going back to my roots, where my culture is, and just doing it with the club that I love here at Richmond, being able to do it with them is such a massive opportunity," he said.
"That's what I'm most looking forward to; Just getting back to my culture."
After a fairytale AFL debut in early 2024, Lefau's season was cut short following a second ACL injury within a few years, suffered during his 10th senior game.
He had been a bright spark for the Punt Road faithful since his inclusion in a horror year for the club, kicking 14 majors from his first 10 matches and at times, as the Tigers' key target up front.
Lefau said it's emotional thinking about what the club has done for him, including the upcoming trip, and revealed he was close to giving up his "AFL dream" in recent years before getting his opportunity.
He added the trip could scratch the surface on untapped Pasifika talent for Australian rules in a country and culture fixated on rugby.
"We just have so much potential," Lefau said.
Having suffered his season-ending injury in late May, the Tigers utility is confident of being ready to return once 12 months have passed.
"He's worked his absolute backside off. It's a real credit to him; the condition he's got himself in after an ACL reconstruction," former Richmond VFL coach, now senior assistant Steven Morris said on Friday.
"We can't wait to have him back in the team because he's a real asset."
"You get thrown around when you're a part of the VFL program and he just tackled every challenge head-on," Morris later added.
Lefau suffered his first ACL rupture - to the opposite knee, with the VFL side in 2022.
"I was obviously riding that roller coaster at the top and just came straight back down. But I've just learned resilience," Lefau said of the 2024 setback, later adding he's "not at all" concerned about it being his second time.
"I came back from my first ACL better, so I kept coming back better the second time," he said.
