Crying shame: 'There will never be enough companion homes for the number of dogs,' says Lisa White of Friends of the Hound. Credit:Olia Balabina. "It is still a dog-killing industry," she says flatly. "There will never be enough companion homes for the number of dogs. Sadly, the responsibility of Greyhound welfare falls largely to the Australian public, [who] are expected to allow their tax dollars to prop up the industry, upgrade the death tracks, and provide the necessary financial assistance and support for rescue and adoption opportunities, and then also absorb the dogs into their communities as companions." Loading She is rightly outraged that the industry itself does not do more to look after the animals it lives off. "Conveniently there is no user-pay (or abuser-pay) system for welfare and adoption of Greyhounds by those who breed, cage, race, injure, dope and routinely discard them. The participants are actually paid a turn-up fee per dog to race. There is still a lack of accountability, responsibility and transparency, and resistance to the cultural change necessary to produce real welfare outcomes. (This is somewhat proven by the desperate and exorbitant attempt to revitalise a dying industry by the lure of obscene prize money under the guise of promoting welfare and enforcing adoption opportunities for the competing animals.) The industry suffers from delusions of entitlement and a deep disregard of responsibility."

Do what they will, she and the fine people like her, cannot keep up with trying to find homes for the slower dogs. "The financial, emotional, and physical burden of saving greyhounds," she says, "is placed on struggling charities and compassionate community members." No improvement in recent times? "The situation should be better now since the live-baiting scandal, the Special Commission of Inquiry, the ban and subsequent overturning of the ban, simply due to the huge amount of public awareness raised [and better regulation as to the fate of the dogs] ... but the Government is intent on supporting cruelty and corruption and rewarding the industry." Over to you, Premier Berejiklian. This is happening on your watch. This is the industry you have just breathed life into, by putting $500k of the public purse to.

Two from the blue Last Saturday the mighty Maccabi Jewish Rugby sub district team had an away game, playing competition leaders Menai, at Menai. But listen, due to injuries and mishaps, one thing leads to another and half an hour before kick-off, the Maccabi men find that they are two men short for this, their last match of the season. The manager approaches the Menai team. Would you have any spare players from your large squad to even things up? Menai says they’ll think about it. Nothing happens. Ok, forget it. So it is that with just five minutes to go before kick-off, the Maccabi lads are in a tight, tense huddle at one end of the field, gathered around their captain – “Give it everything. We are up against it, but let us show them what we are made of! Tackle yourselves red raw!” – when they are interrupted by some taps on the shoulder. What now?

They look up to see two enormous Pacific Islanders, with gleaming bare torsos. Both of them, clearly, could crack walnuts in the crook of their arm, just by flexing their biceps. What do they want? "Shalom boys!" one of them says in a thick Kiwi accent, walking into the huddle, "We are your two new Jews!" The Maccabi lads laugh and cheer, and embark on a flurry of jersey swapping to make sure these worthies at least get the biggest jerseys they have. A new team photo is taken before kick-off and then the team, with their "two new Jews", run out. The result? A game for the ages. Energised, with their two new recruits running riot, Maccabi lifts, while Menai bursts back. Maccabi lifts some more. Menai explodes. But Maccabi has their measure! Almost.

The final result, after a riveting, see-sawing match which saw the crowd roar themselves hoarse: a 57-55 win to Menai. Maccabi and the two new Jews say goodbye to each other with deep gratitude on both sides, and real regret at the parting. Everyone, on my call: "Gotta love this city!" Whitton's words The intersecting points between the life of the great SMH journalist Evan Whitton – whose wake is tomorrow – and the famed hard man of rugby league, Kevin Ryan, is not an obvious one, I grant you. But it is there. For you see, Ryan, who featured in seven of St George’s famed run of 11 successive premierships and was a Kangaroo before becoming a lawyer, was first spotted by Dragons officials playing in a club rugby union match in Queensland, where he was sent off for belting the half-back. That halfback’s name – I know you’re way ahead of me – was Evan Whitton.

One of the greats: Evan Whitton, pictured at the National Times in November 1975. Credit:Fairfax Media Evan takes up the story in his book Reptile of the Press. “Kevin Ryan, long-time hard man for St George, rang me up a few years back. He said: ‘The last time I saw you, I was trying to knock your block off’. “‘Why did you want to do that, Tick?’ I said. “‘Somebody told me the way to catch the eye of the selectors was to flatten the halfback’.”

Vale, Evan. What they said Near clean sweep: Johanna Konta reacts after defeating Serena Williams 6-1, 6-0. Credit:AP The Sydney-born-and-raised Johanna Konta, now the number one female player in Britain, after winning twelve straight games against Serena Williams to be beat her 6-1, 6-0 in San Jose: “It’s an absolute privilege for me to be on the same court . . . It’s a humbling experience to be out there with her.” For Williams it was her worst result since she turned professional, nigh on 23 years ago! She is now 36, and took the loss with grace. Lisa White of Friends of the Hound, a charity to look after discarded greyhounds: "Nothing much has changed. The dogs are still dying. They're still breeding, racing, caging, injuring, doping and routinely discarding greyhounds."

Jack Mundey, nephew of the great man, on greyhound racing: "Make it strictly amateur ... nil prize money ... nil gambling ... See how long the 'love' of the sport and the dogs lasts ... My guess would be about 15 minutes." Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Greens NSW MP, in a letter to TFF: “The Liberal-National government is giving a dying industry life support as a desperate stunt before the next election. But as with most things this government does, they have sorely misjudged the community who are outraged at this obscene waste of public money for an industry well-known for animal cruelty.” Already written: Carmelo Anthony has a philosophical approach to winning and losing. Credit:AP NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony on the modern day NBA: “I think winning, at the end of the day, rewrites everything. It settles everything. I also look back at this past year. When we were winning, the story was written already. When we started losing, the story is written. It's almost premeditated. I'm playing ball. I'm happy. I'm excited about what's to come, wherever that may be.” LeBron James on calling his son LeBron Jr: “I still regret giving my 14-year-old my name. When I was younger, I didn't have a dad, so my whole thing was when I have a kid, not only is he gonna be a junior, I'm gonna do everything that this man didn't do. They're gonna experience things that I didn't experience."

Fernando Alonso unimpressed with his car: “I don’t know, mate. Put whatever tyre you want! The last sector is impossible so, even if you put on a rocket-ship, we will still be 11th.” Tony Abbott, after fulfilling a charity commitment by turning out for the third grade of the Forest Rugby Club, for their game against University of NSW at Melwood Oval, Forestville: “It was short but sweet, it was fantastic. I think I can still scrummage but the calf went on me.” He had to leave the field having torn his calf after only eight minutes. Jose Mourinho not happy with the refereeing in the States: "The referees came by mistake. They were called by the baseball federation and thought it was baseball but found out it was soccer." Neymar in an ad for Gillette: "You may think I exaggerate. And sometimes I do exaggerate. But the truth is I suffer on the pitch. When I look impolite, it is not because I am a spoiled kid. It is because I have not learned how to be frustrated." Shoot me, ok? It’d be easier. Alan Jones on NRL voting for new Immortals: “No one spoke to me except to waste an hour of my time inviting me. But who gives a rats. The only thing immortal about the administration is its incompetence. Just thinking of this Immortals fiasco and the Rugby League. I guess it’s another case of plumbers trying to do open-heart surgery. Not up to it.” I think it should be rat’s, not rats? But I don’t give one myself, either way.

John Grant on leaving rugby league politics: "My term ends in November. I have done the heavy lifting for seven years ... I reckon I have done my lot. I am off. See you later alligator." Not that you care, but I liked him. Voice for unity: LeBron James speaks at the opening ceremony for the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio. Credit:AP LeBron James on President Donald Trump: “He's dividing us. And what I've noticed over the last few months, he's kinda used sport to divide us. And that's something that I can't relate to, because I know that sport was the first time I ever was around someone white. I got an opportunity to see them and learn about them and they got an opportunity to learn about me and we became very good friends. I was like, wow, this is all because of sports.” Team of the week Dally Messenger, Dave Brown, Frank Burge, Mal Meninga and Norm Provan. As of this week, they are rugby league Immortals.

Canterbury Bulldogs. Tore up from their dwelling in the cellar, and then tore the Broncos a new one, beating them 36-22 on Thursday night. Imran Khan. New Prime Minister of Pakistan. I stand to be corrected, but I think the most accomplished politicians we’ve had with a sporting background are Sir Hubert Opperman, Rick Charlesworth, John Alexander and Nova Peris. Any more? Mary Fowler. The 15-year-old wunderkind played for the Matildas and did well! Ballina Rugby Club (NSW). Playing Lennox Head on 24 August 24 in a local derby. They are looking to raise funds to send gear to Fiji. If interested email ol’ Mudguts, at actfraser@gmail.com. Alex Johnson. The last game the Sydney Swan played was in victorious 2012 grand final. Then had knee injury and setback after setback after setback. His journey just to return to the field, tonight at the SCG, after six long years, is admirable. Congrats to him. Back to the Big Show!