Somerset v Poole. Playoff Semi Final 1st Leg. 17/9/18

[STEVEHOLS54]

23 minutes ago, foreverblue said:

Kurtz still crap in Poland im afraid maybe he could do with the rest. 

It's his inconsistency that's his biggest problem currently. Just like in UK and SWE as well as POL he can have 1/2 brilliant rides and beat the World's best and then he can have 2/3 bad ones which have dragged his scores down. He has shown he has what it takes hence why Leszno and his Swe side signed him. He may even get a Gold medal with Leszno who are now in the play off final after their win tonight. I think having an Aussie Summer back home may do him some good and come out fighting for next year after he has that initial Europe Globe trotting season out of the way. Needs to get his mental  strength sorted as on the bike he has the ability. 

Also on a different note, there were some  comments incl mine re Luke Becker after his flying visit to Poole (as mentioned by Steve S) the other day,  decked out in Monster gear who for sure will sponsor him as a Hancock protege now part of the Hancock Haj team along with Holder Sr/Milik/Hancock and Smektala.

I mentioned that probable promotion favs (at least now in play off Final) Stal Rzeszow had signed him early season, no doubt after some impressive practices and friendlies while he was in Europe for 6 weeks or so. Also no doubt being promoted by Hancock who also rides for same team. Interesting that he was put in the team today and scored 12 +1 from his 5 rides which is impressive by any means even if it is Pol 2nd Div. Considering the likes of Lawson/Wright and even his own team mate Morris scored a lot less you have to say it was an impressive performance from the inexperienced 19 year old.

Ok chances are he was on Hancock well prepared equip, just like Jack Holder was in those last few meetings at Torun last season which in  effect cemented a place in the Torun squad for this season and 99% certain he will be in there team next year.

Maybe that little tour around Poole the other night could pave the way maybe for a full team slot at reserve for Poole in 2019 ??. I am always up for giving youngsters a go who have potential and when I saw him on You Tube the other day, it looked to me like Hancock may well have been giving him some advice during the close season in sunny Costa Mesa as his gating was sharp (like Gregs)and seemed very quick and assured on the bike. 

Him and Jackobsen at reserve would be an exciting young pair to see develop. I'm sure that Matt or Neil would also sort his accommodation. That's IF..... he can get a work permit.

[stevebrum]

20 hours ago, lisa-colette said:

Yeah not sure about that, maybe they use Polish averages as a guide.

They should use foreign averages as a guide but never seem to have been factored in before.

7 hours ago, Starman2006 said:

I take it your talking about Dudek ? He would come in on an 8, but Matt wanted him a couple of years ago, but he didnt want to ride here due to his other comitments. But as every other promoter will tell you, it doesnt just finish there..

Except for the rumoured 9 for GP riders. However Vaculik graded as 8 should have been the bench mark.

4 hours ago, Trackrat said:

Good win for Coventry today against a strong Birmingham side.

A strong patched up injury decimated side I think you mean!

[SteveLyric2]

15 hours ago, foreverblue said:

Kurtz still crap in Poland im afraid maybe he could do with the rest. Woryna and Klindt going well although they are not in the top league.

Hardly think Kurtz is 'crap' in Poland?!  5 points as a second string yesterday in a winning side when riding with the likes of Emil, Hampel, Piotr Pawlicki, Smektala and Kolodziej is not bad.  He beat Woffinden and Emil in heat 1 and was up against the likes of Janowski, Milik, Fricke and Drabik in his other rides!!

[SteveLyric2]

14 hours ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

It's his inconsistency that's his biggest problem currently. Just like in UK and SWE as well as POL he can have 1/2 brilliant rides and beat the World's best and then he can have 2/3 bad ones which have dragged his scores down. He has shown he has what it takes hence why Leszno and his Swe side signed him. He may even get a Gold medal with Leszno who are now in the play off final after their win tonight. I think having an Aussie Summer back home may do him some good and come out fighting for next year after he has that initial Europe Globe trotting season out of the way. Needs to get his mental  strength sorted as on the bike he has the ability. 

Also on a different note, there were some  comments incl mine re Luke Becker after his flying visit to Poole (as mentioned by Steve S) the other day,  decked out in Monster gear who for sure will sponsor him as a Hancock protege now part of the Hancock Haj team along with Holder Sr/Milik/Hancock and Smektala.

I mentioned that probable promotion favs (at least now in play off Final) Stal Rzeszow had signed him early season, no doubt after some impressive practices and friendlies while he was in Europe for 6 weeks or so. Also no doubt being promoted by Hancock who also rides for same team. Interesting that he was put in the team today and scored 12 +1 from his 5 rides which is impressive by any means even if it is Pol 2nd Div. Considering the likes of Lawson/Wright and even his own team mate Morris scored a lot less you have to say it was an impressive performance from the inexperienced 19 year old.

Ok chances are he was on Hancock well prepared equip, just like Jack Holder was in those last few meetings at Torun last season which in  effect cemented a place in the Torun squad for this season and 99% certain he will be in there team next year.

Maybe that little tour around Poole the other night could pave the way maybe for a full team slot at reserve for Poole in 2019 ??. I am always up for giving youngsters a go who have potential and when I saw him on You Tube the other day, it looked to me like Hancock may well have been giving him some advice during the close season in sunny Costa Mesa as his gating was sharp (like Gregs)and seemed very quick and assured on the bike. 

Him and Jackobsen at reserve would be an exciting young pair to see develop. I'm sure that Matt or Neil would also sort his accommodation. That's IF..... he can get a work permit.

Good interview with Luke Becker by Speedway Portal on the Poole website during his visit to Wimborne Road last Wednesday with Gordon Pairman.  As well as all the help and support from Greg Hancock along the way, he is also staying with Magic Janowski in Poland so is getting the benefit of good advice from great people with Poole connections. Hopefully his visa issues which stopped him from joining Edinburgh this season will be overcome for 2019

[Steve Shovlar]

Luke Becker interview at 15.00

 

[foreverblue]

1 hour ago, Skidder1 said:

Hardly think Kurtz is 'crap' in Poland?!  5 points as a second string yesterday in a winning side when riding with the likes of Emil, Hampel, Piotr Pawlicki, Smektala and Kolodziej is not bad.  He beat Woffinden and Emil in heat 1 and was up against the likes of Janowski, Milik, Fricke and Drabik in his other rides!!

Milik looked poor as well don't know what is wrong with him and Kolodziej was poor too considering he has qualified for next years gp's. Woffinden didn't look that quick either   Yes he gated in heat 1 and managed to hold them off, went downhill after that. I know he hasn't got to cope with that quality of rider in the play offs and if he gates he may even be able to hold off Doyle at home but he is still nowhere near his best.

Edited September 10, 2018 by foreverblue

[Bagpuss]

Thing is Polish teams are packed with quality riders, they can’t all score well in the same meeting. You only have to be slightly off your game on tracks that big and fast against Polish riders on missile bikes and you can look ‘crap’. I think Polish league performances have very little to do with British meetings.

[STEVEHOLS54]

2 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Thing is Polish teams are packed with quality riders, they can’t all score well in the same meeting. You only have to be slightly off your game on tracks that big and fast against Polish riders on missile bikes and you can look ‘crap’. I think Polish league performances have very little to do with British meetings.

Having witnessed what Spaniak and even Woryna have done plenty of times this season I would definitely echo that. But UK  smaller tracks do give you that extra experience for rider development even if some of them are questionably prepared condition wise. I am sure that Hancock is a better rider for his experience in UK and maybe why he may be eager for Luke Becker to get fixed up here as well as in SWE/POL ongoing. Seems his POL team sorted (same as Greg's and good chance will be promoted POL Nice 1 next season. Sweden assume same if he stays with or near Hancock next season and sneaks into a SWE Prem team (said he already has a Swe 2nd Div team).

Interesting that in the Poole podcast even Richie Worrall commented on rumours that maybe one big League next season.

Unless he is an avid supporter of the BSF and looks in most days you can't help thinking that the rumour about it may be gathering momentum ??

A funny old season though in POL with Milik's form falling off a cliff a lot like Zagar's did in the first 2/3rds of last season before he got his equip sorted. A lot of good riders have had too many up and down meetings between POL/Swe and even in the GP's/SEC's. Maybe it is a case that so many riders incl all the good young Pole's coming through have set the bar higher, so consistency at the very top is becoming more difficult. Even Tai is blowing very hot and cold. Hopefully he won't blow it over the 2 last GP's. But Zmarzlik is surely a champion in waiting and his all action style so reminds me of perhaps what Darcy Ward might have achieved had he not been banned for a year and then so cruelly injured after he came back which ended his career.

[Starman2006]

1 hour ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

Having witnessed what Spaniak and even Woryna have done plenty of times this season I would definitely echo that. But UK  smaller tracks do give you that extra experience for rider development even if some of them are questionably prepared condition wise. I am sure that Hancock is a better rider for his experience in UK and maybe why he may be eager for Luke Becker to get fixed up here as well as in SWE/POL ongoing. Seems his POL team sorted (same as Greg's and good chance will be promoted POL Nice 1 next season. Sweden assume same if he stays with or near Hancock next season and sneaks into a SWE Prem team (said he already has a Swe 2nd Div team).

Interesting that in the Poole podcast even Richie Worrall commented on rumours that maybe one big League next season.

Unless he is an avid supporter of the BSF and looks in most days you can't help thinking that the rumour about it may be gathering momentum ??

A funny old season though in POL with Milik's form falling off a cliff a lot like Zagar's did in the first 2/3rds of last season before he got his equip sorted. A lot of good riders have had too many up and down meetings between POL/Swe and even in the GP's/SEC's. Maybe it is a case that so many riders incl all the good young Pole's coming through have set the bar higher, so consistency at the very top is becoming more difficult. Even Tai is blowing very hot and cold. Hopefully he won't blow it over the 2 last GP's. But Zmarzlik is surely a champion in waiting and his all action style so reminds me of perhaps what Darcy Ward might have achieved had he not been banned for a year and then so cruelly injured after he came back which ended his career.

Thing is you cannot run a top league with 7 clubs, unless somebody wants to come up, and after the Rye debacal i doubt any will want to take the chance, so one league is a destinct posibillity. Unless you split them at the midlands somewhere and have a North and South leagues. Play off in the south play off in the North and a grand final.
It doesnt take an Einstien mate to work out the Zmarslik will be World champ sooner rather than later, although i do think Tai and maybe Doyley has at least another one in them.
I think there will be a big shake up in the GP's end of this campaign, with several known riders not getting a wild card.
Now you ask, well where will they ride , Sweden, Poland ? Then they may want a 3 rd night, over here, and clubs will be governed by the idiots at the top here and the fact that the majority of clubs are not in a position to take them on, so the one league two league idea is sound for the good of British speedway, but the riders who now presently ride here and are in the GP's will no longer be here. Great if Chris and two or three  of them want to ride there, but they will have to slash there demands for clubs to be able to afford them. That really is the bottom line.
Then you have travellng expence for fans, petrol has gone up 10p a litre in this part of the world alone in the last month and half, so a North South split would sound quite appealling to fans. The days of your Northern tours have gone, it will not be affordable to the majority.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Starman2006

[mcampers]

18 hours ago, Skidder1 said:

Good interview with Luke Becker by Speedway Portal on the Poole website during his visit to Wimborne Road last Wednesday with Gordon Pairman.  As well as all the help and support from Greg Hancock along the way, he is also staying with Magic Janowski in Poland so is getting the benefit of good advice from great people with Poole connections. Hopefully his visa issues which stopped him from joining Edinburgh this season will be overcome for 2019

With one round to go, Luke Becker has enough AMA National points to secure a top 4 place in the US Nationals.  Top 4 positions are eligible for BL Visa, so he shouldn't have the same issues he experienced with Edinburgh earlier this year.  

[Buttons]

On 9/9/2018 at 1:26 PM, foreverblue said:

No true you can't but it helps if you have a rider that can win most of his races, so Somerset have got a good team and made some good changes like Covatti and Summers who have done well for them. It isn't the team you start with that is important its the team you finish with. Somerset are clear favourites and as such will be under pressure to finish the job. 

As I said before one man cannot win on his own, the rest of the team need to play their part, your own team manager as said as such,  I don't think Somerset are clear favourites, I think it will be very close.

Edited September 11, 2018 by Buttons

[ray c]

8 minutes ago, Buttons said:

As I said before one man cannot win on his own, the rest of the team need to play their part, your own team manager as said as such,  I don't think Somerset are clear favourites, I think it will be very close.

Does help when your no 1 rider is scoring double figures each meeting especially with being in heat 13 and 15 as you say it could be very close

[Gavan]

The problem that Poole have is that their top 5 at Somerset in both matches have been poor.

Somersets top have outscored Pooles top 5 by 15 and 13 points at home, meaning if Pooles reserves have a poor night then it could be a 20 point reverse.

At Wimborne Road last time against a weakened Somerset Pooles 1-5 were outscored by 8 points including only 4 for r/r for Lawson.

Its pretty obvious that 2 or 3 of Pooles top 5 need to up there game to keep it close at Somerset

Also Freddie only got 3 their last time and Worrall 2 , if they dont improve on that then Poole may well find they have a rather large deficit to make up

[Poole Quay 7]

Kurtz's form is a real concern for me as you shouldn't go into a meeting not knowing if he will be very good because he can be or poor because he is having another bad night?

 

Over two legs the meeting could be close therefore his form becomes an even more important factor so good luck Brady and the Pirate boys.

 

As always, may the best team win and here's hoping for some exciting and safe racing.

[foreverblue]

17 minutes ago, Gavan said:

The problem that Poole have is that their top 5 at Somerset in both matches have been poor.

Somersets top have outscored Pooles top 5 by 15 and 13 points at home, meaning if Pooles reserves have a poor night then it could be a 20 point reverse.

At Wimborne Road last time against a weakened Somerset Pooles 1-5 were outscored by 8 points including only 4 for r/r for Lawson.

Its pretty obvious that 2 or 3 of Pooles top 5 need to up there game to keep it close at Somerset

Also Freddie only got 3 their last time and Worrall 2 , if they dont improve on that then Poole may well find they have a rather large deficit to make up

Even Harris who has been excellent only got 2 last time at Somerset.

[Steve Shovlar]

1 minute ago, foreverblue said:

Even Harris who has been excellent only got 2 last time at Somerset.

Said afterwards the track was appalling with nothing for racers.

[foreverblue]

50 minutes ago, Steve Shovlar said:

Said afterwards the track was appalling with nothing for racers.

That is our problem if it is one line and no grip our riders may struggle again, May has already shown his hand that this is how he will prepare the track so we have to make sure we can adapt this time. 

[Southampton Pirate]

19 hours ago, foreverblue said:

That is our problem if it is one line and no grip our riders may struggle again, May has already shown his hand that this is how he will prepare the track so we have to make sure we can adapt this time. 

Still cannot understand why we are so bad around Somerset, especially as our Nos 1 and 2 used to race there. Over the 2 legs, Somerset still massive favourites for me

[foreverblue]

7 minutes ago, Southampton Pirate said:

Still cannot understand why we are so bad around Somerset, especially as our Nos 1 and 2 used to race there. Over the 2 legs, Somerset still massive favourites for me

Agreed those two even joked about not being as bad as the last time before the last meeting at Somerset and yet they were still pretty bad.

[Knightime]

 

"Think the question Poole fans should be asking is the team good enough this season, indivually ? If the answer is yes then where has it gone wrong in only finishing 4th.  Could it be that all is not well in the Poole camp.  Certainly a season of underachieving thus far. "

 

I think Swindon, Wolves and Leicester would like to underachieve on the same scale!

Edited September 12, 2018 by Knightime