Friday night will be a massive moment for Ben Howlett - who will debut for the Bombers against Geelong at the MCG - but the 21-year-old says he has already had a moment he will never forget at football's most famous ground.
On Monday night Howlett joined his teammates on the middle of the MCG following the inaugural dinner with past Essendon premiership players.
""Knighta gave us 10 minutes to just be by ourselves and take it all in,"" Howlett said.
""Then he called us into a tight huddle and gave us a speech about the year and how we should go. He said he loved rewarding people for hard work and then said 'congratulations Ben, you are going to play your first game this week'.
""I was in shock I guess and I didn't know what to do. The boys came up and said congratulations and I couldn't stop shaking, it really took me back a bit.
""I rang my family that night and mum and dad were really happy and I think there were a few tears from them.
""It's fantastic and I am pretty pumped - I can't wait to get out there and have a kick. I am not too nervous yet but by Friday the nerves will be jumping around a bit (laughs).
""It's every kid's dream is to play on the MCG and it has all happened pretty quickly for me so it hasn't quite sunk in yet. At the start of the year I just wanted to put my head down and play good footy, I didn't expect this to happen so now I have to get some new goals.""
Despite winning the 2009 Peel Thunder best-and-fairest in the WAFL, the West Australian was overlooked at the National Draft. It was the third National Draft he had been overlooked at until Essendon took him with pick No.30 in the Rookie Draft.
""There were times when I thought maybe I was past it,"" he admitted
""But there was something there that made me want to keep improving and keep trying - I don't think you ever really lose that dream.""
Howlett has the impressed the coaching department since playing one quarter against Melbourne in a Challenge Cup game and he improved dramatically in the following two games. Last week he was promoted off Essendon's rookie list and onto the senior list.
""All the boys like Jobe and Welshy, they help you relax and I felt comfortable out there playing with them right from the start,"" he said.
""I think playing three years of WAFL helped because you are more used to the quicker sort of play and it's not as much of a step-up as it is for the 17 or 18-year-olds.""
