[3] The family moved to Melbourne when Rowell was a child and he began playing football when his father took him to Mont Albert to participate in Auskick.

[4] He played majority of his junior football with the Canterbury Cobras and was touted as a future AFL player as early as the under 10 level.

[6] He showed his worth by dominating for Victoria Metro at the AFL Under 18 National Championships and playing a pivotal role in Oakleigh's NAB League premiership season, including a Grand Final performance against the Eastern Ranges in which he recorded 44 disposals and two goals.

[8] Rowell attended Carey Baptist Grammar School with future Gold Coast teammate Noah Anderson throughout his teenage years.

[15][16] In the Suns' round 5 loss to Geelong, Rowell suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first quarter during a heavy tackle from Brandan Parfitt and took no further part in the game.

[23] Rowell’s performance in the early rounds of the year was widely considered extremely impressive, with commenters deeming him among the greatest first-year players.

[26] Rowell returned from injury in round 1 of the 2021 AFL season, playing against the West Coast Eagles at Perth Stadium, on Sunday 21 March 2021.

On 23 March 2021, it was reported that scans had confirmed "a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament" and would be unable to play for 10 to 12 weeks.

[31] Following a "solid off-season",[32] Rowell returned in round one and produced a career best performance with 33 disposals (17 kicks and 16 handballs), 22 contested possessions, 10 score involvements, nine clearances and six tackles, in a 27 point win over the West Coast Eagles.