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Not a fan of postponing matches due to lack of suitable guests. As things stand there is no encouragement to run with a full 7 man team, Plymouth, Berwick, Workington, Ipswich as well as Lynn all happy / willing to run with guests till the end of the season. But if clubs can call off matches when they can't get guests, even less need for clubs to sign replacements for missing riders. While I think it's a shame a team being weaker through injury, I don't think it's a reason not to race.

Sheffield 48-42 Ipswich

I see Paco Castagna has often talked about being "snubbed" by Premiership bosses, this time he has an article in the Speedway Star addressing this, now while he has had a great season for Edinburgh, looking at the Premiership line-ups I'm not sure there's a team he would strengthen. Belle Vue: recently signed Zischke & Vuolas, now while Paco has a higher Champ average than Vuolas, he's taken 4 or 5 seasons to reach a 6+ average, Zischke & Vuolas have achieved that in half a season, so can see why Aces would consoder them more promising. Birmingham & King's Lynn: both need heat leaders, not reserves. As Lynn have injured riders they should be encouraged to sign Paco, but they're unlikely to do that if they can continue with guests / call off matches when they can't get strong guests. Ipswich: don't need to strengthen up their top 6 & Paco couldn't replace Jenkins. Leicester: top 6 all stronger than Paco. Sheffield: can't replace a reserve with Paco & not likely to drop Howarth. Which leaves Oxford: now Paco could've strengthened them at reserve, but unfortunately for him Peter Schroeck is doing his best to weaken then team & avoid making the play-offs. Think Castagna, needs to try & pick up as many guest bookings as he can, to put himself into teams' plans for 2025.

Looking at the averages Cook has the highest 2024 average of any reserve. Hopefully Hagon can get going again too.

Danny King seems the obvious choice as guest for the Gladiators. If he can't do it, Drew Kemp would probably like to prove a point to the Oxford promotion?

I could say the same thing to you, I've seen people post the rules. When a club has "no facility" available - the option is to use a guest up to 75% of the missing riders average, there was no ruling that said you have to use a NDL rider. Look at King's Lynn, Musielak has left the club, they have "no facility" to replace him, so they are using "75% guests". If you have a copy of some different rules, please show me. Edit - here's the ruling. It does not say a club has to use a NDL rider if they have "no facility". * A NDL rider would only need to be used if missing rider has an average below 2.65.

Plymouth are racing at home to Poole on the 24th.

I'm not very good at condensing thoughts down, want to explain all angles, so I'm not just saying "your wrong" without giving my point of view

I wonder what Peter Schroeck thought when Kemp beat Killeen in heat 14, the same rider he didn't think was good enough for the Spires? Also dropped Killeen from heat 9, but using Schroeck logic (Killeen is better than Kemp) would he not have expected a 5-1 from Nicholls & Killeen over Kemp & Etheridge?

Saw a similar comment on FB, but completely disagree. Heeps was bound to beat Hodder in heat 11, so Nicholls would only have gained you one place in heat 11. If he wins heat 12, that would be 2 places gained, likely Boughen would finish behind Etheridge & Fredriksen - obviously Oxford didn't know Hodder would be coming back into that heat. With hindsight as Kerr beat Masters, he could've beaten Nicholls too, that would've meant Nicholls came in as a tac sub only to beat Hodder, but obviously they'd have been expecting a 5-1 as Kerr hadn't been great till then.

That's not true, they could use a Championship guest up to 75% of Vissing's average. There is no rule where you have to use a NDL rider. Workington must have decided Pijper was the best option available?

That's a bit over the top, how many Championship reserves have 6.00 averages? Now you could say he's no longer a heat leader & needs to be a second string. But in Plymouth's strength in depth side, that's not gonna happen (this year at least). He'd also still be a heat leader at Berwick & Redcar too!

If Bomber helps Workington win today (& possibly get the BP) will that help or hinder Glasgow's play-offs hopes. I think Workington are bigger rivals for 4th. Now realised Glasgow have riders guesting for both rivals, so maybe that cancels it out? Glasgow just need to tell them to avoid a draw lol!

Just seen heat 15, was a terrible decision from the referee, just as bad as the PHB exclusion in the SON2. Just encourages riders to lay it down if a rider goes close enough to brush against them, thankfully shouldn't ever be as bad as Premiership footballers diving as falling off bikes is more dangerous, but I've seen plenty of falls when the rider could clearly have stayed on.

Once Edinburgh vs Glasgow was postponed, Workington could have used Pickering or Harris to guest for Cook. Surely if he's about to become a father, they'd be allowed a guest. The question is how much notice is allowed? Cook could be waiting for a phone call & have to dash away at a moments notice, can you expect guests to wait just in case they are needed?

Can't disagree with that

Two riders missing, two stronger guests. Glasgow would have been desperate to get the match on.

An away defeat won't cost Workington, nor even the loss of a bonus point. But they can't afford to drop points at home.

Why Dayle Wood? Even with "no facility" Kye Thomson fits!

Years ago, British Speedway didn't have to plan fixtures around foreign meetings for a start. Before doubling up was rife, clubs could race any night of the week. Not saying I can't work now, but more fixtures isn't as simple as it was.

Let's say for example Edinburgh can't afford to race NDL racing unless it's on a Friday. Force them to change, with them pulling out, then all of a sudden there is no NDL. Perhaps it would be better to say, you can't refuse a Championship match, just because you are racing in the NDL. So if Edinburgh had a home NDL match on a Friday, they could still race a re-arranged Champ match away at Glasgow, Redcar or Scunthorpe?

Think Belle Vue could win all thier remaining matches this year.

Totally agree @Sir Sidney, Sheffield can't blame the reserves or be surprised when they get outscored, it had to be expected. Their team was built around the top 5 winning matches by scoring 40+ points leaving the reserves to only need to ride to their 3.00 averages.

Well firstly Boughen isn't a Championship reserve anymore. Secondly Oxford chose this team, they could've had stronger reserves, but decided to weaken their team 4 times! I don't see Schroeck saying "I got it wrong" & dropping a reserve now.

If clubs are happy to race on their off night & support each other when re-arranging fixtures, then 2 home & away could easily work. But clubs haven't always shown they are so helpful to others, so that's why I'm thinking it'll be a struggle to fix all the fixtures in. Get rid of the play-offs & you'll have no trouble.