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Lakeside 2014


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Well if the inclusion of NL riders in EL teams is a cost cutting exercise, then so be it. A silver lining perhaps? When the allocation fight commences lets hope that someone considers the travelling distances for home meetings for these lads as they do not get the best of sponsorship and rely heavily on family members in most instances. (Thoroughly enjoyed watching the NL at Central Park this last season also).

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Found the folowing release:

 

RIDERS PUT FORWARD FOR ELITE LEAGUE PLACES: Adam Ellis; Ashley Morris; Ben Reade; Daniel Halsey; James Sarjeant; Joe Jacobs; Josh Bates; Kyle Newman; Robert Branford; Simon Lambert; Ben Hopwood; Ben Morley; Charles Wright; Dan Greenwood; Darryl Ritchings; Jake Knight; Jason Garrity; Kyle Hughes; Lee Smart; Lewis Blackbird; Lewis Kerr; Lewis Rose; Liam Carr; Max Clegg; Oliver Greenwood; Paul Starke; Robert Lambert; Stefan Nielsen; Steven Worrall; Tom Perry.

 

Seems there will be two rounds to pick the riders, Coventry get first pick, with contracted riders going to their respective clubs. Second round draw commences with the team having the lowest ranked rider from draw one having first pick.

 

The ten not drawn will be used to cover injuries or non-availability. Thats the starting point then.

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Found the folowing release:

 

RIDERS PUT FORWARD FOR ELITE LEAGUE PLACES: Adam Ellis; Ashley Morris; Ben Reade; Daniel Halsey; James Sarjeant; Joe Jacobs; Josh Bates; Kyle Newman; Robert Branford; Simon Lambert; Ben Hopwood; Ben Morley; Charles Wright; Dan Greenwood; Darryl Ritchings; Jake Knight; Jason Garrity; Kyle Hughes; Lee Smart; Lewis Blackbird; Lewis Kerr; Lewis Rose; Liam Carr; Max Clegg; Oliver Greenwood; Paul Starke; Robert Lambert; Stefan Nielsen; Steven Worrall; Tom Perry.

 

Seems there will be two rounds to pick the riders, Coventry get first pick, with contracted riders going to their respective clubs. Second round draw commences with the team having the lowest ranked rider from draw one having first pick.

 

The ten not drawn will be used to cover injuries or non-availability. Thats the starting point then.

I have heard that the draw allocation may be made available to be viewed via the internet.

 

While this won't generate the sort of interest the American Football system receives the draw is a similar idea which maybe with a bit of sponsorship and "pay per view" could be used to raise a few pounds to support the lads?

 

Maybe not this time around as the idea is brand new however in time.....

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To make those numbers meaningful though, bear in mind that there were 13 teams in the PL and 10 in the EL.

 

To this end, that works out 3.2 British riders in the PL, compared to 1.7 in the EL.

 

So levelling these numbers up to actual bodies, it equates to around 3 compared to 2.

 

Not too great a differential, is it?

They were the figures I was working off, which equates to nearly twice as many.

 

But let's not split hairs, the point is that not enough is done at any level for young Brits, starting at grass roots, although the penny seems like it is finally starting to drop. My main beef was with the EL v PL thing....we are all in it together in my mind and petty arguments taking sides help nobody.

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Good to see Jon Cook showing no bias to his own club when this protected list was constructed.

 

All these clubs who have had years of running national League teams & Lakeside never have but get a preotected asset.

 

It really could only happen in speedway.

 

Lakeside ran a NL side during 2012 in the name of Hackney Hawks. During this time they signed assets, Shane Hazelden, Marc Owen and Jack Kingston. In 2013 they acquired the signature of Adam Ellis,

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While I agree that the PL employs far too many crap foreigners on low averages, its worth pointing out that in 2013, 42 Brits held team spots at one time or another in the PL compared to just 17 in the EL (both figures exclude guest appearances). That works out at nearly twice as many Brits per team in the PL, and that included 15 riders who also rode in the NL, far more if NL guests were included.

 

This new reserve idea will IMO bear fruit but as has been said its being done to cut costs, simple as that. And I'm fearful that it will be poorly administered anyway, leading to manipulation opportunities galore.

On the basis there is still uncertainty over the tv des'al, did you expect them to increase costs? Very few relegated football teams, faced with a reduced level of income, go and get Messi and Ronaldo, or even keep their highest earners they had in the Premiership (sorry 1st division )

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This new reserve idea will IMO bear fruit but as has been said its being done to cut costs, simple as that.

 

Yes, it's being done to cut costs but the benefit, that everyone seems to be missing is that we now get 18 home league meetings per season instead of 14 and all teams meet each other twice instead of some teams twice and others once. The new league structure is not perfect but it is an improvement on what we had.

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Little point in having 'protected assets' if a system that doesn't allow you to use them is introduced. It is not just Lakeside that have such riders and the way the others will be allocated seems pretty fair to me.

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Little point in having 'protected assets' if a system that doesn't allow you to use them is introduced. It is not just Lakeside that have such riders and the way the others will be allocated seems pretty fair to me.

No point bringing a system that allows you to used protected assets if it makes is totally unfair ..the Bottom line is the best team from last year has somehow got first pick ,once that happens the system is pointless .

Edited by orion
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Will the young British riders get the signing on fee that would have gone to the guys they're replacing ? After all their equipment has to improve dramatically if some of their rides are going to be against second strings.

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Makes a draft totally pointless. Should have just let everyone sign the riders they wanted.

 

The other issue is if you're drafted two poor riders you're doomed, your top 5 maybe be over the limit hit you have 2 crap reserves. Yet a team gifted two good reserves but mess up there top 5 get a second chance and an makes changes to their top 5 even if their reserves are averaging 6-8 a meeting each. An 6-8 against other reserve is entirety possible.

 

Farce of a system.

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Will the young British riders get the signing on fee that would have gone to the guys they're replacing ? After all their equipment has to improve dramatically if some of their rides are going to be against second strings.

They should do, however they probably wont. Its in the best interests of British speedway of course..NOT
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Who knows but the lad has never ridden for Lakeside ever.

As someone else said, clubs aren't going to be encouraged to nurture talent if they don't get to use them!

 

It's irrelevant whether he has ridden for Lakeside yet (he did appear in 2012 play off semi at Poole though).

 

I'm a little tired of people accusing Jon Cook of making rules to suit his own needs. As a club, Lakeside have been on the end of some very regrettable situations but have rolled with the punches, unlike many others.

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