Is Jordan Palin ready for Championship speedway?

[DC2 11,150]

8 hours ago, Gambo said:

Perhaps now is the time to say that NDL lads stepping up to the CL should be 'protected' by keeping them at reserve for their first season?

 

Definitely not, it would give those teams with the best NDL reserves a big advantage.

[squall 270]

1 hour ago, DC2 said:

 

Definitely not, it would give those teams with the best NDL reserves a big advantage.

Poland keep under 21 riders at reserve regardless of ability, points scored, or how poor a main body rider has performed. They reap the rewards with multiple GP standard riders and domination of the world cup.

We push our youngsters up into the main body ASAP and have half of them pack it in halfway through the season. The only GP standard riders we have both learned their trade abroad.

Yes, keeping them at reserve would be a terrible idea.

[DC2 11,150]

2 hours ago, squall said:

Poland keep under 21 riders at reserve regardless of ability, points scored, or how poor a main body rider has performed. They reap the rewards with multiple GP standard riders and domination of the world cup.

We push our youngsters up into the main body ASAP and have half of them pack it in halfway through the season. The only GP standard riders we have both learned their trade abroad.

Yes, keeping them at reserve would be a terrible idea.

 

Were Peter Collins, Michael Lee, Chris Holder, Tai Woffinden, Darcy Ward or Robert Lambert protected reserves?

Talented riders don’t need protecting. 

Sure, if you want some sort of nursery to take priority over openly competitive team places, protect them, but most people have said on here “if you’re good enough you’re old enough”. Enough said.

My concern is that one season in the NL and a growing body at 16 are reasons to keep a rider “protected” in the NL for another season.

[hyderd 1,216]

Love watching Jordan Palin round the NSS, he's also shown he is not a 1 track Pony, I don't think it will do him any harm whatsoever riding for Scunnie and hopefully the Colts next season, if he progresses in the Championship then who knows maybe Jordan could be riding for the Aces in 2021.

 

Edited November 5, 2019 by hyderd

[Fromafar 10,323]

Professional ,dedicated and ambitious is what makes most talent succeed.Unfortunately a lot of young riders think they make made it when they have a van with their name on it.Its a hard game and very few make the top.Age is not a factor. IMO .

ps

They need a bit of luck though.

[phillipsr 2,053]

Reality is no he’s not but i hope he proves me wrong.. dont think he will go the way of JPB, Bailey, Waj etc but he is going to struggle 

[*JJ 508]

This isn't anything new; I remember in about 1980, the Brummies scored a 5-1 with two sixteen year olds: Neil Evitts was one. Third place was another 16 year old! The one at the back must have felt old ... this was in the 1st Division.

[Weeyin 1,018]

In 2011 Nick Morris joined Glasgow on his 16th birthday on a 2 point average and ended the season on over 6, I am sure that Jordan will be able to hold his own in the championship 

[DC2 11,150]

18 minutes ago, dorothy58 said:

In 2011 Nick Morris joined Glasgow on his 16th birthday on a 2 point average and ended the season on over 6, I am sure that Jordan will be able to hold his own in the championship 

 

That’s a good example of why there should not be protected reserves who stay at reserve all season.

[Sings4Speedway 3,237]

Palin has the backing both financially & more importantly of his family to keep him grounded but progressing. Many of the burn bright but fade away riders mentioned had either one or both of those factors missing and that is what finished them off not bike ability. In order to improve you have to race a better standard regularly and in the NL Palin just won't get that.  The Aussies have to come over and drop straight into Championship so its sink or swim for them and the reason so many make it to a decent standard is that they have no other choice, giving riders an easy time will make them soft. Tai, Lambert and other success stories made it because they were strong and determined enough.  Its now for Jordan to prove which camp he will fall into but i wish him all the very best and have a suspicion he will succeed.

[Fromafar 10,323]

51 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Palin has the backing both financially & more importantly of his family to keep him grounded but progressing. Many of the burn bright but fade away riders mentioned had either one or both of those factors missing and that is what finished them off not bike ability. In order to improve you have to race a better standard regularly and in the NL Palin just won't get that.  The Aussies have to come over and drop straight into Championship so its sink or swim for them and the reason so many make it to a decent standard is that they have no other choice, giving riders an easy time will make them soft. Tai, Lambert and other success stories made it because they were strong and determined enough.  Its now for Jordan to prove which camp he will fall into but i wish him all the very best and have a suspicion he will succeed.

Conner Bailey is a good Aussie example of what you are saying, very raw but sink or swim ,and he showed massive improvement in a few weeks thrown in at the deep end.

[Sings4Speedway 3,237]

6 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Conner Bailey is a good Aussie example of what you are saying, very raw but sink or swim ,and he showed massive improvement in a few weeks thrown in at the deep end.

Precisely these guys head half way round the world at great expense to their family and themselves to make or break, often the decision to head over is based a lot more upon when a rider is ready and capable rather than the UK's approach of shows some promise. There will always be riders who fall through the cracks and plenty of talented Aussies have gone home over the years because things haven't worked out in much the same way that UK riders have slipped away too but those who remain are the ones who made the grade and have more to offer the sport as a whole.

[Spiderman1 182]

if he hasn't laid skid marks on his jocks after stepping on the 500 yet ,he is ready i think

[mikebv 10,227]

20 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Palin has the backing both financially & more importantly of his family to keep him grounded but progressing. Many of the burn bright but fade away riders mentioned had either one or both of those factors missing and that is what finished them off not bike ability. In order to improve you have to race a better standard regularly and in the NL Palin just won't get that.  The Aussies have to come over and drop straight into Championship so its sink or swim for them and the reason so many make it to a decent standard is that they have no other choice, giving riders an easy time will make them soft. Tai, Lambert and other success stories made it because they were strong and determined enough.  Its now for Jordan to prove which camp he will fall into but i wish him all the very best and have a suspicion he will succeed.

And without being too harsh, the standard of the leagues that the Aussies of 20 years ago and more arrived on these shores to take part in were of a much higher level than today as the UK top league was 'THE' league to race in globally..

Which meant the second tier was of a high level also with loads of experienced, mainly British, heat leader riders who would be akin to a third heat leader level in the top tier today, Aussies who were learning their trade and lots of Danes in particular (later to develop to World Class) who rode second tier over here and saw that league as more important to their development than their own in Denmark which wasn't of the same standard.  

The highest level in the sport though I would suggest is still of an extremely high standard and as good as it's ever been, so if the young Brits like Jordan are to make it to that stratosphere then by 20/21 years old they should be pushing for heat leader status in the top division I would say. 

That would be the natural progression glide path for success that modern era riders like Woffinden, Lambert, Bewley have taken/are taking..

Meaning that at 16/17 nowadays comfortably holding down a reserve position in the second tier is an absolute minimum I would say if you have ambitions of reaching the very top.

And then at 18/19 easily riding at second string standard in tier two pushing heat leader status would be your minimum benchmark..

Sometimes I think not having to leave the creature comforts of home does hold the British lads back somewhat, unlike those who pack up everything and learn their trade in a foreign land. 

The huge drive, ambition and self belief that burns so brightly within those who follow their dream, by literally leaving everything dear to them 1000's of miles behind, must give them an advantage against those who give up relatively nothing of the sort in such a hard unforgiving environment as Speedway..

Edited November 13, 2019 by mikebv

[arnieg 3,614]

Re Aussie's it is also worth noting the trend to start their European careers in Denmark now.

Kye Thomson, Liam May Josh Coyne and Brayden McGuiness all made Danish League 1 appearances in 2019.