szkocjasid

I didn't realise Lambert couldn't guest, as I didn't know his old average counts as an assessed average.

Cooks average is his 2023 Champ ave converted, but will become a rolling ave in September!

Maybe it is, despite four clubs being terrible, they've all had a realistic chance of the play-offs going into their final few matches. In a "normal" season they'd have been well adrift in their own.

It just dawned on me that Lambert could guest for an injured rider in the play-offs. He'd be especially useful on a 7.81 average. Of course you never want to see a rider injured & hope he won't be needed, but I can almost imagine the reaction if a Belle Vue rider got injured & Lambert guested for them against Sheffield to win the final!

But if the other team in the group is also expected to win home & away to Edinburgh/Birmingham then Poole / Oxford's away win over 6th is cancelled out! So it's then important to pick a second opponent you are confident of beating on aggregate.

There's always 2 sides to a story & I can totally understand Connor not travelling to Latvia (at his own expense) to potentially not get a ride (I do feel the riders should get their travel expenses paid at least, even if they ride for nothing). But also feel if everyone thought like that no team would have a reserve! If travel expenses were paid then even if a rider doesn't get a ride, they'd have got out in track for practice, so could treat it as "free practice" at least?

I'll dispute that, to "deserve" play-offs you have to finish 6th of 9. There's no requirement for you to be any good!

If Poole "fear no one" should they pick someone more local than Edinburgh?

Don't quite agree with that, for example you could be excluding a very good 22 year old (Brennan / Jenkins) because at 22 they're now considered "too old". Could also have seasons where the best juniors have gotten too old & the next lot are still NL reserves (unlikely I know). Another thought is, what about Simon Lambert, who scored 9 points in the British final & has never been wild card or reserve. Not fair to exclude him solely on age (discrimination) imo. One downside of picking riders based on who goes abroad, is how will Bailey ever get back in? Harris & Brennan have been travelling for these "lesser" events for years, so have gotten these places sewn up apparently, now Jenkins has gone abroad, he's probably next in line. If they only pick the same riders till they retire (get too old for certain events) there's not much chance for anyone else to get a look in (like Bailey)

I'm sure Jordan Jenkins travelled abroad for a pairs meeting & didn't get a ride, what's worse is the result was decided before GBs final heat, so he clearly should have been given a ride.

With Edinburgh losing at home to Oxford, there's still a chance for the Brummies, especially as Monarchs still have to race Poole at home.

The Fridays clubs may have to race on an off race night, to avoid going into October / November. Although it's unlikely there would be 3 Friday teams in one group as Oxford & Poole will likely avoid each other.

I must admit I thought it was a forlorn task for Ipswich to make the top 4, as I couldn't see Sheffield dropping any points at home. Now Leicester are off form, it certainly gives them renewed hope

I wasn't aware speedway (or any other) authorities could stop someone competing at different sports?

Surely they can't ban him from playing football for example?

If Poole top the "qualifying table" and Edinburgh are 6th I can see them avoiding Edinburgh & Glasgow (long distances) and Oxford (hoping for big crowds for the final). Poole - Redcar - Scunthorpe Oxford - Glasgow - Edinburgh If Birmingham finish 6th, I'd expect Poole to pick them (weakest & more local) along with Scunthorpe (closer than Redcar). Poole - Scunthorpe - Birmingham Oxford - Redcar - Glasgow If Oxford finish top, I could see then making the same decisions. Oxford - Redcar - Scunthorpe Poole - Glasgow - Edinburgh Or Oxford - Scunthorpe - Birmingham Poole - Redcar - Glasgow

Has he really? His average has been around or above 9.00 (2023 figures) until the Poole match, only since then has his scoring faltered.

TJs average meant they started weaker, but as soon as it dropped & they could replace Stoneman (2.00) with Hook (4.00), they were back on par with a 40.00 limit, so that could no longer be used as an excuse for having a poor team. If they got caught out with his average, that would be very poor, it's been a (stupid) rule for a few seasons now

The problem is the timing of the ban, if Birmingham get a 28 day facility, that would run out after the transfer cut-off date. I assume they'd get a facility for the season, is that what happened to Plymouth with Barker last year?

Now he is, with Kemp dropping to 7 & getting the easier rides. Ablitt has done very well to improve, but don't believe Scunny have done anything Poole didn't do.

Are Scunthorpe actually treating Ablitt any better than Poole though? They use him at number 6, which means zero heat 8s (less than he got at Poole) plus rides against the 1+2 / 3+4 pairing, while Mountain meets a reserve in all 4 programmed rides. I would say Scunthorpe have the exact same attitude to Poole when it comes to "apprenticeships" and "giving the youngsters a chance". Obviously he's getting 4 rides more often, but that's due to him scoring more points. If he was continuing his Poole form he'd likely only be getting 3 rides each match, same as last year!

I still find it hard to believe Glasgow would drop a 3.5+ rider for a 2.00 newcomer, no matter how promising he is?

Great ride by the Pirates. Nothing wrong with the start, Hume never moved before the tapes, just a perfect start.

Lambert has been honest, he's here because his foreign commitments have dried up. Kings Lynn know this & are happy to sign him under the circumstances. Lynn fans should be happy they've a stronger number one. I see no downside to the situation.

They're not cheats, they told the BSPL they couldn't put out a team & the BSPL believed them & allowed then to cancel it. While I'm dissapointed with Lynn's actions, it's hard to blame them if they are allowed to get away with it, I'd almost begrudgingly congratulate them on outsmarting the authorities! I'm probably more annoyed with the BSPL for letting them postpone the match, than for Lynn for cancelling it! Ipswich must certainly be livid, especially of Lambert's return costs them a top 4 spot!