D-Day has arrived for prospective AFL players around the country with the national draft to take place at Sydneys Hordern Pavillion on Friday evening.Essendon are expected to take Sandringhams Andrew McGrath or North Ballarats Hugh McCluggage with the top pick in one of the most even drafts in recent memory.The Bombers have decided who they will select with the No.1 pick of Fridays national draft but are keeping their choice a closely guarded secret.Barring a late change of heart, it is likely McGrath or McCluggage - both gun midfielders - will join John Worsfolds effort to propel this years wooden spooner back up the ladder in 2017.McGrath announced himself as a potential No.1 pick in a stunning season where he captained TAC Cup side Sandringham and school team Brighton Grammar to premierships and co-captained Vic Metro to a national championship.Obviously that pick carries a bit of weight and expectation but its a massive honour too, McGrath said.If the cards were to fall that way Id be really humbled and privileged to accept that responsibility.Hopefully Id take it with both hands and represent myself and my club in the best possible way.Both players have toured Essendons facilities in recent weeks but say they are none the wiser as to the Bombers intentions.Theyre keeping their lips shut pretty tight, McCluggage said.I dont think anyone has much of an idea. Whatever happens, happens.Ive been pretty nervous ... its been a pretty big build-up over the last few weeks without school to keep your mind off things.So Im nervous but really excited at the same time to get stuck into things.Unlike recent years when the likes of Jacob Weitering, Paddy McCartin and Tom Boyd have announced themselves as the best young player in the land a long way out from the draft, the race to No.1 has been much closer for this draft class.Most other years No.1 has ben declared from about July, AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheahan said.So its been very tight at the top and then settled down to two or three most likely to go to Essendon.But clubs who dont have a first round pick need not despair, according to Sheahan.We think up the front that the midfielders are as good as any year but its down the back end that we reckon is special because our game is growing, he said.Were really buoyant about whats down the back. Weve seen the likes of Adam Goodes, Dane Swan, James Hird and Rory Sloane (go late) in years past.There have been some wonderful players and we think there are a bunch of players who could be taken down the back of this draft that will end up champions of the game, such is the depth of talent. NMD Cheap Canada . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Ultra Boost 4.0 Sale Canada .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. http://www.nmdshoescanada.com/superstar-cheap-canada.html . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. NMD Human Race Canada . 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HOUSTON -- There were no bumps on this road to Rio.Next up for the U.S. Olympic mens basketball team is the trip to Brazil, where the Americans think they can play even better now that theyre done having to go place to place.As a team, I think youre going to see a much different team over there, Carmelo Anthony said.Anthony scored 19 points and the U.S. wrapped up its unbeaten exhibition tour with a 110-66 victory over Nigeria on Monday night.The Americans werent quite as potent this time but were dominant defensively after pouring on the points in a record-setting romp over the Nigerians four years ago. They forced the African champions to miss their first 22 3-point shots and held them to 4 for 29 behind the arc.Klay Thompson had 17 points and Kevin Durant added 14 for the U.S., which went 5-0 and wasnt tested during its easy five-city, pre-Olympic schedule. The U.S. men and women -- who arrived in Houston earlier Monday and attended the game -- are scheduled to fly Tuesday night to Rio de Janeiro, where both will be favored to repeat as Olympic basketball champions.We leave tomorrow night and then its off, hopefully, to a gold medal, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.The mens team will have to wait until it gets there for a close game -- if one comes at all. The Americans previously defeated Argentina, China twice and Venezuela by an average of 42.8 points, scoring 101 per game. They play the Chinese again to open Olympic play on Aug. 6 and also meet Venezuela again.This one was only close for a few minutes, perhaps a little longer than the Americans 156-73 victory in the 2012 Olympics, when Anthony set U.S. records by scoring 37 points and going 10 for 12 from 3-point range in just 14 minutes. He was 0 for 6 beyond the arc this time but scored niine points in the third quarter, when the lead ballooned to 43 points.ddddddddddddThe Americans rang up the most points ever scored in an Olympic game in the London contest, but Nigeria started better this time. Ben Uzoh brought the players on the Nigerian bench to their feet with a dunk over DeAndre Jordan in the first quarter, but the Americans gradually pulled away late in the period and kept increasing the lead from there.DeMar DeRozan had a few powerful dunks and Kyle Lowry and Jordan hooked up on a spectacular one, as Lowry threw an alley-oop pass from beyond halfcourt that Jordan slammed down.Were a talented team, its about just finding a rhythm, DeRozan said. We find rhythms later in the first quarter, in the second quarter. Now its about just starting from the gate.Chamberlain Oguchi finally got Nigerias first 3-pointer with a little under 4 minutes remaining. He added three more from there and finished with 21 points.Its hard because theyre so good in transition. It seemed like all of those 3-point misses kind of led to their leak outs and as we know when they can get into an open court they kind of feed off of that, Nigeria coach Will Voigt said.The U.S. played without starting point guard Kyrie Irving, who rested a bruised left thigh he sustained when he was bumped on a pick in the Americans victory over Venezuela on Friday in Chicago. Also, Indianas Paul George missed a second game with a left calf injury.Krzyzewski said both were expected to be fine for the Olympic opener.Lowry started for Irving and finished with eight points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. DeRozan, his Toronto teammate, scored 13 points. ' ' '