szkocjasid

For me the best news about that, is it means there will be a NDL next season.

Retain: rising stars Replace: the play-offs (will never happen I know)

Think you're on the wrong thread for Poole's team plans. I know it started with wether Brennan would be available for Edinburgh, but this isn't the thread for who Poole may use.

I don't think Tai deserves a wild card at all. That being said I don't think it's time to retire from international racing or that he should move on. If he wants to race in the GPs, he'll just have to do something he's never managed before, get through the qualifying system. If he does that, then he deserves to be there.

Would that not make the racing closer though? Means a reserve is capable of beating 6 of the opposition team? Ideally you want the gap between the top & bottom riders as narrow as possible for close racing. So hopefully doesn't mean 4-6 point riders get dropped for new 2.00 riders. But with the likes of Pickering, Ben Cook & Brennan possibly not riding in the Champ next year, Plymouth not having a number one all season, will Schlein ride next year? Where will the heat leaders come from?

It's not the length of time between the semi finals that's my issue, I just find it daft that a riders score is decided by what another rider does in the following race! Say Lambert is 7th highest qualifier, in semi 1 he finishes 4th. If the 8th highest qualifier finishes 4th in semi 2 he'll get 10 points, otherwise he'll get 9 points. Why should Lambert's score differ based on wether Lindgren or Bewley (for example) finished last in the following heat?

Apart from wanting the GP winner to be the top scorer, which I don't agree with, but understand why people want that. There are many issues with the current scoring system. If 5 riders are tied on 6 points, why do you need to split them via countback? If someone scores a 15 point max but has an ef in the semi, do they really only deserve 9 points? The other issue is after semi 1, you don't know if the 3rd finisher is 5th or 6th, or if the 4th finisher is 7th or 8th. The world title / rostrum position / top 6 qualifiers could end up being decided by the meeting wildcard! There are far simpler ways to ensure the GP winner ends up with the most points, if that has to be done.

Rickardsson had two really bad decisions go against him, really should've won 5 world titles on the bounce.

I think Holder would be very likely to get a wild card if he doesn't qualify. But he's in a good position to make it.

I think Sheffield are favourites to go through, but at least Belle Vue have made the second leg interesting.

Not want Castagna after his best season yet?

Why should Emil riding mean one less Polish rider racing in the GPs. The wild cards don't have to be based on nationality, they could just go by ability. I'd certainly hope so.

The fact that everyone is eager to believe the story without any evidence, should be a wake up call to Jack Holder to improve his attitude & actions, after all he is a professional sportsman, representing his sponsors / clubs / country. Had this story been about Emil Sayfutdinov, I would not have believed it at all!

Surely a 6 point rider would be expected to score 7 at home & 5 away. So while 5 points wasn't a good performance how can one point off your average be "well below par" especially riding at number 5, meaning he meets Bewley & Kurtz twice?

I have no doubt that Chris Holder & Pickering is a very strong partnership & splitting them no doubt weakens the middle order, but to not split them leaves a vulnerable pairing of Harris & the reserves anyway. Guess the management have to work out what's best for them.