The "end-of-season bye is a lock" for '17 with the Australian Football League Commission looking to "financially reward the minor premier" from next year as one of several new measures to "enhance the longer lead" into the finals. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and his team "introduced the contentious bye as a probity measure after coaches Ross Lyon and Brad Scott had challenged the integrity of the competition" by resting a raft of players leading into the finals. Unable to devise legal means to "prevent a recurrence of the coaches' tactics, the commission's view was that it was prepared to wear the logistical risks associated with the week off." Now "the view is that despite those reservations the bye has proved a clear success" (THE AGE, 9/28).
Voters in Sydney and the country "are united in their criticism" of New South Wales Premier Mike Baird's government’s "approach to banning greyhound racing," even if they differ on "whether it was the right thing to do." The Baird government "faces mounting pressure from within its ranks over its decision to rush through legislation on a greyhound ban," with dissenters claiming there was "scant consultation with the party, and that the industry was given little warning or chance to reform." While Baird has "remained resolute on the ban, the issue threatens to boil over within the Nationals" in the lead-up to the Orange by-election, which will be held on Nov. 12 (THE AUSTRALIAN, 9/29).
FIA VP Nasser bin Khalifa al-Attiyah "welcomed Turkey’s request" to join the Middle East Rally Championship in '17. He said, "Since taking over as FIA vice president in 2013, I have worked towards promotion of motorsport in MENA, and addition of Turkey is yet another step in that direction" (GULF TIMES, 9/27).