In what order would you place these Aussie greats???

[lucifer sam]

On 5/10/2020 at 10:09 AM, steve roberts said:

I obviously saw a lot of Todd when he returned to Britain (after a year in Germany) and signed for "The Cheetahs" in 1998. I know that I'll upset Rob but I was never a great fan of Todd at Cowley...seemed just the one pace type of rider. Okay when he gated but easily picked off on occasions. I know that he was hero worshipped at Wimbledon and later at Reading but perhaps the bad injury he picked up which forced his premature retirement changed his outlook on his comeback? Just my opinion on observations based as a "Cheetah".

Steve, just caught up on this one  

Yes, I was a fan. I think Todd was riding in a measured way for us, because he knew how much speedway could hurt, but at the same time we had his complete commitment. If we needed someone to beat Adams and Crump in Heat 15 to defeat King's Lynn, or hold out Rickardsson for the whole race in the year of the six-lap Heat 15, then Todd was the man.

It's quite remarkable when you consider he had five years out of the sport, then returned in Germany in 1997 and the UK in 1998 and was the World No 8 by 2000!  It makes you wonder what he would have achieved but for the injury - as he pointed out, he was ahead of Rickardsson, Hancock and Hamill, then found himself missing five years and playing catch-up.

He was Oxford No 1 in 1999 and 2000, won numerous last-heat deciders which seemed to be his speciality, helped us win the league title in 2001 (ironically his weakest year for us, but again performed when we really needed him to), and then his return to the club in 2003 and 2006 simply cemented his status. And while he did set everything up to pop out the start and then control the race from there, he did show that he was more than a gater - wasn't there a 18-point-maximum against Peterborough where half of it was scored from behind? 

Todd is the one top rider we managed to keep hold of for more than a year or two (or 2.5 years in the case of Hancock) in the later days of Oxford.  Plus he was good for team spirit and he's a nice guy.

Edited May 18, 2020 by lucifer sam

[steve roberts]

53 minutes ago, lucifer sam said:

Steve, just caught up on this one  

Yes, I was a fan. I think Todd was riding in a measured way for us, because he knew how much speedway could hurt, but at the same time we had his complete commitment. If we needed someone to beat Adams and Crump in Heat 15 to defeat King's Lynn, or hold out Rickardsson for the whole race in the year of the six-lap Heat 15, then Todd was the man.

It's quite remarkable when you consider he had five years out of the sport, then returned in Germany in 1997 and the UK in 1998 and was the World No 8 by 2000!  It makes you wonder what he would have achieved but for the injury - as he pointed out, he was ahead of Rickardsson, Hancock and Hamill, then found himself missing five years and playing catch-up.

He was Oxford No 1 in 1999 and 2000, won numerous last-heat deciders which seemed to be his speciality, helped us win the league title in 2001 (ironically his weakest year for us, but again performed when we really needed him to), and then his return to the club in 2003 and 2006 simply cemented his status. And while he did set everything up to pop out the start and then control the race from there, he did show that he was more than a gater - wasn't there a 18-point-maximum against Peterborough where half of it was scored from behind? 

Todd is the one top rider we managed to keep hold of for more than a year or two (or 2.5 years in the case of Hancock) in the later days of Oxford.  Plus he was good for team spirit and he's a nice guy.

Fair comments Rob!

[Tim G]

On Todd’s comeback meeting in his first ride I remember there was a crash on the pits bend and Crump who was his teammate at the time punched him when he got up of the floor. Crump then said he was injuand pulled out of the meeting.

[steve roberts]

2 minutes ago, Tim G said:

On Todd’s comeback meeting in his first ride I remember there was a crash on the pits bend and Crump who was his teammate at the time punched him when he got up of the floor. Crump then said he was injuand pulled out of the meeting.

I lost a lot of respect for Jason after that incident (wasn't even Todd's fault!) but I later re-gained it when he matured both as a rider and a person. A good ambassodor I felt towards the sport.