Melbourne veteran Heritier Lumumba is set to retire from the AFL amid a dispute with Melbourne over how they handled his concussion.

The defender is considering legal action, claiming the club stopped him playing this season when he felt he had recovered from his concussion problems.

Lumumba only managed five senior games in his second season with the Demons and did not play after round six.

The 2010 Collingwood premiership player has just finished the second year of a three-year deal with Melbourne.

Lumumba claims the lack of games this season meant he could not use a trigger clause in his contract for a fourth year.

Concussion has become one of sport’s biggest player welfare issues, not just in the AFL but for contact sports worldwide.

The Demons are adamant they handled Lumumba’s situation this season appropriately.

While Lumumba has another year with the Demons, it is highly unlikely that he will play for them again.

One of the AFL’s most enigmatic characters has played 223 senior games – 199 for the Magpies and 24 at Melbourne.

He made the 2010 All-Australian team.