The 34-year-old recalled those two All Blacks of yesteryear when revisiting his stint at North Harbour back in 2001, nine years before one of rugby's ultimate journeymen finally makes the step up to international level.
Albany is among the lock's less exotic venues during an 11-season first-class career that also features winters in Viadana and Osaka.
But the durable Humphries still harbours fond memories of his time in North Harbour under abrasive coach Buck Shelford.
"That was my first fully professional environment and I absolutely loved it," the current Queenslander said as the Wallabies embark on an end-of-year tour that opens here on Saturday against the All Blacks.
"I'd been working and playing for a few years so to be able to concentrate on football was amazing.
"We had a successful year that year, too. A lot of boys came back from overseas. Glen Osborne, Frano Botica, Buck Shelford was the coach.
"I was a young pup back then, they were the old boys. It was a great experience, they helped me along."
A front rower from Helensville was also starting out in the North Harbour environment at the turn of the century, and since then the careers of Humphries and Tony Woodcock could hardly have been more contrasting.
While Woodcock has forged a reputation as one of test rugby's premier loose head props over 69 tests for New Zealand, Humphries seemed destined to never make the grade as an international class lock.
He made his state debut for Queensland against Argentina and after time in Ireland and North Harbour he switched allegiance to the Waratahs for the 2002 Super 12.
He headed abroad again in 2003, returning home five years later via Italy, France and Japan for a third -- and most influential -- stint with the Reds.
While Will Genia and Quade Cooper were the public face of Queensland's unexpected revival in this year's Super 14, Humphries' role among the pack could not be under-estimated, particularly after James Horwill was an early casualty.
Humphries developed into one of the competition's best ball winners and had he not damaged an ankle near the end of the tournament he would probably have been involved in the June tests and Tri-Nations.
Despite his advancing years, Humphries was selected by coach Robbie Deans ahead of younger candidates such as Kane Douglas and Pat O'Connor.
For Humphries and the coach, age was just a number.
"Age is irrelevant to me," Humphries said.
"My body is still good and I'm really loving my rugby. I'm just looking forward to the challenge."
One of seven uncapped members of the 36-strong tour party, this European OE will not exactly be a daunting experience for a man with as many passport stamps as Humphries.
"We're not going anywhere I haven't played before. I know people all over there. The conditions won't be anything new to me, it'll be cold and wet.
"It's a little less daunting though there's still a lot of pressure on me."
Humphries is aiming to make the 22 for a test but the midweek games at Leicester and Munster are likely to be his brief in the interim.
"Wherever I can feature I'm happy. To get in the 22 for a test match would be fantastic. I'll be looking to press hard in the midweek games," he said.
Should Humphries make his test debut on tour, he will still be four years younger than Tony "Slaggy" Miller, who set a record for being the oldest player to represent Australia at 38 years of age against the All Blacks in 1967.
