Essendon will have picks Nos.9 and 22 in the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft tonight (Wednesday).

The Bombers originally had one selection, but unlocked another one with co-vice captain Michael Hurley being placed on the inactive list as he recovers from a nasty hip infection.

The draft order was locked in by the AFL on Tuesday, based on clubs' ladder positions at the end of round 11.

After being cancelled last year due to the shortened COVID-19 hit season, the mid-year draft will be staged as a virtual event.

It will be broadcast live and exclusive on afl.com.au and via the AFL Live app thanks to Telstra from 6:30pm AEST, with the draft commencing at 7pm.

The Bombers will be looking to replicate their success in the inaugural mid-year draft in 2019, where they selected Will Snelling from SANFL club West Adelaide.

Stay tuned to essendonfc.com.au and the club's social media channels for coverage of the draft.

NAB AFL MID-SEASON ROOKIE DRAFT ORDER

Round one

1 North Melbourne
2 Hawthorn
3 Collingwood
4 Adelaide
5 Gold Coast
6 Carlton
7 St Kilda
8 Greater Western Sydney
9 Essendon
10 Richmond
11 West Coast
12 Sydney
13 Port Adelaide
14 Brisbane
15 Melbourne 

Round two

16 North Melbourne
17 Hawthorn
18 Collingwood
19 Gold Coast
20 Carlton
21 St Kilda
22 Essendon
23 West Coast
24 Melbourne 

Round three

25 Carlton
26 St Kilda

Round four

27 St Kilda