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Pirates 2014


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Can Swindon fit him in?....no pun intended before anyone says anything!...anything is better than seeing poor Greenwood struggling and a chance for another local boy to keep DJR's seat warm before his comeback?


Wait for the next controversy when they replace him with someone higher up the draft list

Yeah ive heard they have gained 'special dispensation' to bring Ashley Birks in from there 'feeder' club....... ;)

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Should Clubs be allowed to replace EL reserves?

 

A choice of reserve made prior to the start of the season should mean that the rider must stay with that Club until the end of the season - barring injury. The reserves 'list' should be used for replacing injured riders only.

 

Using the reserves list to 'chop and change' riders is wrong. Clubs would have to chose riders who were right for their club. They would have to work at researching riders abilities, look up their riding histories, go and watch them...

 

I agree. But then we have got two superb reserves who have come through the ranks and are local lads doing well.

 

Not every side is in that position, and with the new race format making the FTD riders so crucial to the outcomes of meetings, then any sense of loyalty/sticking with the riders so that they can develop etc simply goes out of the window. Short term-ism comes into play, with a need to win the next meeting comes to the forefront of a promoters mind. And as we have seen this week, this is where the 'dark arts' come into play.

 

I do think the only allowed to ride for a team as a guest 4 times is nonsense also, there are enough riders on the list now so that a rider should only be allowed to guest once or twice.

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I've been unable to work for 5 months due to trouble with my knee & been on crutches & still in agony even 3 weeks after an op so Darcy is either superhuman or risking serious long term damage by riding with a bad knee.

 

I'm sorry to hear about the ill health and wish you better health soon!

Edited by Poole Quay 7
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Should Clubs be allowed to replace EL reserves?

 

A choice of reserve made prior to the start of the season should mean that the rider must stay with that Club until the end of the season - barring injury. The reserves 'list' should be used for replacing injured riders only.

 

Using the reserves list to 'chop and change' riders is wrong. Clubs would have to chose riders who were right for their club. They would have to work at researching riders abilities, look up their riding histories, go and watch them...

I agree, the problem was that there wasn't a complete list to choose from at the time. I would have the full list available for future seasons and then make clubs stick with their choice. Unless the rider is injured or requests being stood down.
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I agree, the problem was that there wasn't a complete list to choose from at the time. I would have the full list available for future seasons and then make clubs stick with their choice. Unless the rider is injured or requests being stood down.

 

 

Clubs knew there was going to be a list. The list should have been compiled in plenty of time!

 

It's the responsibility of clubs to get the best team together. That means actually working at looking at riders at meetings other than their own - or at least having 'scouts' in place to do the job for them. Those that feel the need to swop reserves seem, at best, very amateur in their approach. It looks like choosing reserves was very much a 'pin the tail on the donkey' exercise.

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Clubs knew there was going to be a list. The list should have been compiled in plenty of time!

 

It's the responsibility of clubs to get the best team together. That means actually working at looking at riders at meetings other than their own - or at least having 'scouts' in place to do the job for them. Those that feel the need to swop reserves seem, at best, very amateur in their approach. It looks like choosing reserves was very much a 'pin the tail on the donkey' exercise.

Or having "protected" riders that invalidates the whole spirit of the draft!

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Or having "protected" riders that invalidates the whole spirit of the draft!

Is this a deliberate attempt to wind people up? If so, I'm sure you will get your wish.

 

Getting rid of the 'protected rider/asset rule' would penalise the clubs who have been investing in the very thing that the FTD system is trying to promote - good young British speedway riders?!?!

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Or having "protected" riders that invalidates the whole spirit of the draft!

 

You would only hear that from clubs who haven't got any riders to protect.... :wink:

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Is Ward likely to be back to replace Holder anytime soon ? Was Thinking Holder could come in and do a short term replacement job at Lynn for Bjerre.

 

Ward is nowhere near close to a return. Might need an operation as hurt cruciate ligament badly. In last GP didn't put his leg down once in races.

 

Expect Holder to stay longer than the 28 days.

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Clubs knew there was going to be a list. The list should have been compiled in plenty of time!

 

It's the responsibility of clubs to get the best team together. That means actually working at looking at riders at meetings other than their own - or at least having 'scouts' in place to do the job for them. Those that feel the need to swop reserves seem, at best, very amateur in their approach. It looks like choosing reserves was very much a 'pin the tail on the donkey' exercise.

I think you are too critical. As I understand it, the FTD was not thought of until after the end of last season. Now you might expect EL Promoters to be aware of what talent there is about but normally they would be concentrating such efforts more on riders at PL level who, prior to this year, would be those likely to step up. They would also no doubt keep an eye on local NL riders but realistically be unlikely to be travelling the length and breadth of the country talent spotting at that level. They would be aware of the obviously talented few but not the likely potential and progress of the many.

 

In any event it is notoriously difficult to know who is likely to progress and at what rate, apart from the obvious candidates who filled the top few places in the original draft list. How many promising juniors have we seen who have not fulfilled their expected potential and others who suddenly and unexpectedly blossom. Take Stefan Nielsen as an example. General opinion on here, before the season started, seemed to be that he was a poor pick who would fall off on a regular basis. Not in the FTD but who, hand on heart, expected Palm-Toft to be passing and beating the likes of Holder and increasing his average.

 

Picking riders who will progress is difficult unless it is an obvious talent like Michael Lee, Darcy Ward or, at the level we are talking about, Blackbird, Kerr of Garrity. Who thought Steve Worrall would be doing so well?

Edited by Aces51
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One of the issues with Lee Smart - as he himself commented in the post-meeting interviews - compared to many of the other FT draft riders is that he has no regular PL race time to try to improve to EL level - assuming that is what he wants to do?!

 

The FTDL was launched as an attempt to give an opportunity to those young British riders with ambition to succeed at the top level. Maybe Lee just didn't meet some of those criteria, whereas his eventual replacement might?!

 

I hope he gets a PL berth asap.

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One of the issues with Lee Smart - as he himself commented in the post-meeting interviews - compared to many of the other FT draft riders is that he has no regular PL race time to try to improve to EL level - assuming that is what he wants to do?!

 

The FTDL was launched as an attempt to give an opportunity to those young British riders with ambition to succeed at the top level. Maybe Lee just didn't meet some of those criteria, whereas his eventual replacement might?!

 

I hope he gets a PL berth asap.

You will know for sure ;) -is there a 15 year old - just about to turn 16 who can ride a bike and who Poole have got their eye on ?

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PIRATES hope to name a replacement for Lee Smart tomorrow after promoter Matt Ford confirmed the out-of-form reserve was to be axed.

Smart has endured a woeful start to the season in Poole kevlars, scoring just eight points in five outings which included two no-scores.

And Ford has lost patience with the Swindon-born rider, who cut a dejected figure in the 48-42 win over Birmingham last night.

Pirates are able to name a rider below Smart in the British Speedway Promoters’ Association’s fast track draft grade list, provided that rider is eligible for a full-time position.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “I will apply to the BSPA in the next 24 hours and then we will inform the Pirates supporters of the change that’s being made.

“We hope the new one-to-seven will be finalised some time tomorrow.

“We’re going to make a change and it may be that we try something for another month or so until we find what’s best for the club in that position.”

Ford admitted he had sympathy for Smart, a product of the Elite League’s inaugural draft who ended up being the oldest rider in the Poole side at 26.

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I think you are too critical. As I understand it, the FTD was not thought of until after the end of last season. Now you might expect EL Promoters to be aware of what talent there is about but normally they would be concentrating such efforts more on riders at PL level who, prior to this year, would be those likely to step up. They would also no doubt keep an eye on local NL riders but realistically be unlikely to be travelling the length and breadth of the country talent spotting at that level. They would be aware of the obviously talented few but not the likely potential and progress of the many.

 

In any event it is notoriously difficult to know who is likely to progress and at what rate, apart from the obvious candidates who filled the top few places in the original draft list. How many promising juniors have we seen who have not fulfilled their expected potential and others who suddenly and unexpectedly blossom. Take Stefan Nielsen as an example. General opinion on here, before the season started, seemed to be that he was a poor pick who would fall off on a regular basis. Not in the FTD but who, hand on heart, expected Palm-Toft to be passing and beating the likes of Holder and increasing his average.

 

Picking riders who will progress is difficult unless it is an obvious talent like Michael Lee, Darcy Ward or, at the level we are talking about, Blackbird, Kerr of Garrity. Who thought Steve Worrall would be doing so well?

 

I can't stand MF - but he has taken an intelligent move by linking with Scunthorpe. Not only will he get to know about newcomers, he will also gain knowledge about PL riders through working with a team that has amateur, NL and PL links. EL clubs shouldn't work in isolation - they should be aware of what is happening at all levels of Speedway. It is in their own interest - and in the interest of British Speedway.

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Is this a deliberate attempt to wind people up? If so, I'm sure you will get your wish.

 

Getting rid of the 'protected rider/asset rule' would penalise the clubs who have been investing in the very thing that the FTD system is trying to promote - good young British speedway riders?!?!

It wasn't a wind-up it was an expression of my opinion (which others agree with) and has been discussed on other threads. You can't have a fair draft system if riders are "protected" whether someone has invested in them or not.

 

Sorry if you don't agree but I can live with that.

Edited by Steve0
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Darren Mallett, Ben Hopwood, Brendan Johnson, Nathan Greaves, Lee Payne, Luke Crang or Matt Williamson then. TBH, none of them are much is any better.

 

Brendon Johnson as he's local?


Take Stefan Nielsen as an example. General opinion on here, before the season started, seemed to be that he was a poor pick who would fall off on a regular basis.

Really?He was always going to be one of the better picks.

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