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Probably told he couldn't ride for Leicester to encourage more guests lol!

Surprised to see Max James missing for Leicester at Belle Vue. Edinburgh have a season launch event, but I'd have thought a NL fixture would take priority over that? (Assuming that's why he's missing)

Would make them a lot stronger, but Nicholls won't stay due to his TV commitments. Unless they "rested" Zach for a couple of weeks, till Nicholls really has to go?

But could end up racing front of a terrible crowd, some not coming expecting it to be off, others not wanting to stay out in terrible weather. Apart from wether the match could be raced, gotta consider the financial implications of racing on a very wet day.

So far clubs have been calling meetings off early enough to avoid fans travelling. Certainly better for the fans than turning up.

As a fan I just wanna see good racing & if applicable my team win, never bothered me if it was a play-off final (don't agree with them) or a challenge match. But I realise based on crowd levels not many feel that way.

It'll take a lot of improvement from the bottom 5 to get Redcar into the play-offs imo. They certainly have potential, can they realise it? Good fixture to start with before the serious stuff starts.

This could be a big win for Scunthorpe.

Both teams could be considered to have a long tail, but Poole have a strong top 4, Oxford a strong top 2, so can't see the Cheetahs getting too close. 2 home wins, but Poole to get the bonus point.

How are Plymouth making a mockery of the sport? They didn't make the decision to allow a facility for an injured rider.

I see Oxford have cancelled tonight's practice. Any conspiracy theories about that, or is it just Plymouth who aren't allowed bad weather I wonder?

Both number 2 & number 7 can be replaced in heat 8, just not by a tactical substitute (i.e number 6 can go in). Most pointless rule in Speedway imo

Will be a tough start for Belle Vue, Leicester one of the better teams imo. Will Sam Hagon be there? How long does it take to get from Manchester to Poole?

Not if they get 5-1s together. But if it's getting 3-3s behind Kerr & Schlein you could say it doesn't work.

With only 11 home fixtures, unless they qualify for later rounds, starting their home season late, shouldn't harm Plymouth. If anything it means less gaps once they get going. Only downside is holding up the BSN semis & finals.

Surely it'd be in "the best interests of the sport" to allow Plymouth a 75% guest?

They used a 75% guest for Dan T last year, when he got injured before appearing. So I'd assume the same rule can be used for Covatti.

Are you sure? As far as I'm aware there's no such rule as a NL guest? If you're not allowed a facility it's 75% of the missing riders average.

I'm just meant Premiership, Oxford were previously in the Elite League. Lets say 99% of people think Birmingham will finish bottom, if Lynn & Peterborough were both terribly fancied, then 50% of fans would have picked them for the wooden spoon. I can't remember a team were virtually everyone has them for bottom.

Agreed, while hailing an amazing comeback, they are glossing over the fact why they were so far behind possibly the least fancied team in Premiership history. That being said they got the 2 points & have a guaranteed win & BP in the return leg, so no damage done to their play-offs aspirations.

That's a fair point. But would you keep a pairing that lost a 5-1 in heat 15 or try someone else for the "stupid heat"? I don't think Sam has made any particularly bad choices, just every 50/50 choice to change a rider or not hasn't gone well when he's not made the change.

Now before the match, I think Birmingham would have been delighted with a point. But after leading by 10 points a couple of times, this has to be a major disappointment. Again the lack of changes by Ermolenko has to be discussed, now he didn't make any awful choices, but you have to question Lampart being left in heat 12, Brennan not being in heat 15, and then even after losing a 5-1 not being picked for the "stupid heat".

Might have gone missing with an ankle injury though? Or the sniffles? But not enough to stop him posting a run on Instagram!

With it being Workington's first season in the Champ, plenty of opposition fans could be interested in visiting. Would streaming make enough to cover potential lower attendances?

A bit late but a few thoughts about the decision to raise the limit to allow Edinburgh to fit in Max Perry. 1) i'm absolutely delighted Max has got a NL team & think it would have been a travesty for a 16 year old improving rider in his first Champ season to miss iut on a place in the development league. 2) I'm very impressed that the fellow promoters agreed to a rule change that directly hurts their own chances at glory. 3) I think its rediculous to change a rule after the AGM. Mainly because its shows a complete lack of thought & planning. Did they not consider whcih riders could miss out, perhaps it's just easier & "lazy" to just pick a low points limit, create a weak league & hope it works for developing riders. For example a developing 16 year old on a 7+ average almost misses out, but "journeymen" riders who will never make it on lower averages, will have no such issues gaining a team place. Now I have zero issues with these older / more experienced / doing it for a hobby type riders racing in the NL, just feel these rider sgaining a spot over the likes of Perry goes against the supposed point of the lower points limit (development). They coulkd have picked rider gradings based on ability & experience, a % reduction based on experience to help "developing" riders, rather than the quick an easy option of "let's lower the points limit" . 4) Edinburgh could have fitted in Perry by not signing Wood or Watson for example. So in the future, whats to stop a team picking a rider just over the points limit and asking for the limit to be increased?