Earlier in the year his brother Tyrie, a promising Donnybrook Football Club player, lost half his arm in a car accident.

It was he who delivered the news to his excited sibling that he was an Essendon player after the club selected him with pick number 30 in the AFL Rookie draft on Tuesday morning.

The midfielder was in Bali holidaying with his girlfriend Emma at the time.

“My brother and I are especially close and that’s all he’s ever wanted for me and for it to happen means a lot to me and my family,” the 21-year-old said.

Howlett’s AFL selection makes him the third Peel Thunder player to be drafted to an AFL club following Anthony Morabito to Fremantle and Aaron Black to North Melbourne in the national AFL draft last month.

After the disappointment of not being drafted in 2006 Howlett said he had learned from that experience.

Since then the hard-working centreman has added two full WA Football League seasons under his belt and topped it off by winning the Peel Thunder best and fairest medal last season.

“Because I had been through it all in 2006 I’ve become a bit more mature and I learned whatever happened this year was a bonus,” he said.

“Not many blokes my age get a chance like this so I’m going to make the most of it.”

Howlett, who grew up dreaming of playing AFL, said Essendon had contacted him the day before the draft.

“They seemed pretty interested but it all came down to what West Coast was doing,” he said.

In the lead up to the rookie draft there was talk that the Eagles would select Howlett.

The nuggetty midfielder said he was not fussed about moving interstate and it helped that the Bombers already had two former Peel players - Scott Gumbleton and Kyle Reimers.

“I was keen to go anywhere to play AFL but having those guys there will definitely help me in fitting in,” he said.

Howlett said he was prepared to put in the work “big time” to break into the senior squad.

“I will be working my butt off every day.”

Essendon contacted Howlett directly after the draft and indicated he could be going to Victoria as early as next week.