RacerDon

2016, some good meetings, some bad meetings, shouty man Pearson and Kelvin will get very excited on occasion, and then Poole will win go and win it again........ Plus ca change

As always this time of year and (yes) still bitter 9 years on, may the best team win and may the tactical joker fiasco never again decide who lifts the crown.

Lost interest in the sport over the tactical joker decided final in 2006, which ironically Sky still show as if injustice was something special to be celebrated. League speedway is past its sell by date anyway, only the grand prix worth watching , at least you get more than one decent race every meeting.

Well done Denmark, best team won. Nice that Iversen has just realised how unfair the joker rule is - don 't remember him being so concerned about it in 2006 when Peterborough stole the final from Reading though.

Indeed - Coventry would have been negligent had they not ensured their 6 point man continued at reserve. Every other team in the league would have done the same. However this just shows why so many sports fans refuse to take speedway seriously, although I suspect many Liverpool fans might take heart from where Coventry were early in the season and wonder if they could replace Lucas with Rooney.... (except of course football doesn't have riders averages than can be manipulated to suit.

Can I offer congratulations to the 3 man Peterborough team who managed to run a very strong Coventry team to within 6 points. The home team may have dropped a ricket with poor track preparation but at least three of the lower order gave it 100% nonetheless. Should be a great, close, final. My overiding wish is that neither side has to sully the occasion by getting the vile black and white helmet colour out.

Clearly not enough of us, or we'd still have a speedway team to support.

In truth the joker(s) has never once revived a one sided speedway meeting, but has been used on numerous occasions to allow almost evenly matched teams to produce a completely unjust result, often in critical matches. Yesterday was a clear example of this, with the most blatant of course being in 2006. All well within the rules, and I suppose it can be fairly said that, like Reading three years ago, Jason Crump rode honestly and fairly to win his heat, and in doing so naively played right into the opponent's hands.

But was this the heat when Crump rode like an honorary Swede though, in shepherding Lindback home for the win? (possibly a tactical sub for Hansy, who usually fulfils that role) Then to be absolutely fair he did *perhaps* go to the British pits and wish us good luck, which was nice , if about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

To be honest none of the team, with possible exception of Rico (who had the misfortune to come up against the only Aussie who was still trying) did well enough in the fifth, and crucial, round of heats. King got done up like a kipper by AJ otherwise he might have got 2 vital points, however after his excellent effort at peterborough was fully entitled to get his chance tonight, and very unfair to label either him or Bridger as wasters....

With Nigel Shouty Man Pearson and Kelvin Tell You What Tatum I don't think she has anything to apologise for to be honest.

Of course there should be reserves but straight like for like replacement after track injury only (sorry once meeting started no Walacekesque headaches brought on by two last places allowed).

The current situation is ridiculous, although caused by Poland abusing the previous rule a couple of season's back. Made even worse by the tactical joker rule. Anyone watching speedway for first time and seeing the combination of these two rules would almost certainly write the sport off as mickey mouse. That said I expect Russia would have won anyway. p.s. does anyone in the world NOT know how old Emil is by now ??????????????

Thought the referee is always right, at least wasn't that Nicki's position when he got away with it in Cardiff last year?

And young Emil will continue to be nineteen years old for the foreseeable future.