Nagel will be a top rider I am sure but as you say inexperienced, my choice would have been Flint or Dan T.

Howarth was not fast enough and he had not gated all night, he only got a paid win in heat 13 because Lawson crashed. He did gate in the super heat but was easily passed. In my opinion the wrong choice.

They should do a one off challenge match at Poole 29 Oct v Ipswich. Let Poole use a couple of PL riders to bolster the side.  Shovvy and Gavan watching the meeting from the centre green or even team managers on the night! Live on BSN all proceeds going to the Ben Fund. Everyones a winner!

He has, and he would, but he also has the lowest heat 15 average in the team. I don't fancy his chances of improving it in the grand final.  He was beaten by Lawson in 1, and wasn't beating Kerr/Cook when he retired in 10. He's awesome, but I think we sometimes forget he's not an established heat leader or experienced, and those are really useful attributes in big heats. I don't think you'd see Poole putting a rider like that in a big race, and I think it's because it's a move you make when you already think you're losing and don't trust your heat leaders. I know he won heat 8 by the distance to the English border, but you sometimes see reserves do that in heat 2, then they come out in heat 4 and you realise you were judging them by the wrong yardstick. That's not to be down on Nagel at all, btw. 

From some of the posts above, it looks like we could be losing a Russian but gaining a Rushen….

Nagel has done heat 15 before though and he would have given it everything. Howarth only got a paid win in heat 13 because Lawson crashed. Howarth was off the pace at that point, he was so far behind in heat 13 when Lawson crashed. Not complaining though, I was over the moon when Cami put Howarth in. Bomber knew the situation, there would have no point in flying past Lawson and Cook to get the win.