PL Fours, Peterborough, 15/07

[RHayes 72]

So the current Holders don't get the opportunity to defend their trophy?

 

Only in speedway!!

 

Happened to the Isle of Wight in 2008 so Ipswich are not the first.

Edited June 11, 2012 by NS97

[Mr Snackette 190]

Did Ippo not only qualify last year because of newcastles injurys??

 

 

I fear you may be a little out on that one old boy. The qualifying clubs, in order of averages, were: Redcar, Sheffield, Workington, Edinburgh, Ipswich, Somerset and Glasgow.

 

Last year of course, only seven teams "qualified", as Leicester were seeded through as hosts. Great pity that the same principle couldn't be extended to the current champions!!

 

I think you may be thinking of "The Pairs", where Ipswich accepted a late-call-up to replace Plymouth, when Ben Barker was called up as a track reserve for the British Grand Prix, meaning he couldn't compete for the Devils at Somerset.

 

 

 

[Lioness 1,455]

So the current Holders don't get the opportunity to defend their trophy?

 

Only in speedway!!

 

there's quite a few occassions this has happened - ask Berwick.

 

Some would argue that the teams change every year so the current holders are extremely unlikely at best to be lining up for the same club again. Also its the PL4s for this season not last.

 

Not saying I agree with it, just pointing out some of the reasons that could be given for not automatically including the defending champions

[Arson fire 4,785]

 

 

 

I fear you may be a little out on that one old boy. The qualifying clubs, in order of averages, were: Redcar, Sheffield, Workington, Edinburgh, Ipswich, Somerset and Glasgow.

 

Last year of course, only seven teams "qualified", as Leicester were seeded through as hosts. Great pity that the same principle couldn't be extended to the current champions!!

 

I think you may be thinking of "The Pairs", where Ipswich accepted a late-call-up to replace Plymouth, when Ben Barker was called up as a track reserve for the British Grand Prix, meaning he couldn't compete for the Devils at Somerset.

I think I am, it was lemos injury why we didn't qualify as we used rr for weeks.

 

[crazysue 613]

No point going to this one now....and this was going to be the one and only away meeting I was going to go to!

[Steve Irving 393]

there's quite a few occassions this has happened - ask Berwick.

 

Some would argue that the teams change every year so the current holders are extremely unlikely at best to be lining up for the same club again. Also its the PL4s for this season not last.

 

Not saying I agree with it, just pointing out some of the reasons that could be given for not automatically including the defending champions

It makes not a jot of difference how many times it's happened and neither does the change in line ups, it's still ridiculous.

 

Chelsea will enter next seasons champions league with a totally different line up to the one that just lifted the trophy. But Chelsea as a CLUB, the champions league holders, will defend their trophy next season.

 

Ipswich speedway club, as current PL4'S winners, should be at Peterborough to defend their trophy.

 

A complete farce.

Edited June 12, 2012 by Steve Irving

[Fromafar 10,375]

It makes not a jot of difference how many times it's happened and neither does the change in line ups, it's still ridiculous.

 

Chelsea will enter next seasons champions league with a totally different line up to the one that just lifted the trophy. But Chelsea as a CLUB, the champions league holders, will defend their trophy next season.

 

Ipswich speedway club, as current PL4'S winners, should be at Peterborough to defend their trophy.

 

A complete farce.

Just bring back the qualifying round and give the competition some credibility.these were always well supported meetings,the Promoters need to pay the correct rates of pay instead of over the odds that most are forking out and these meetings would be viable,the Finals were always well supported too.

[Taylorj 1,000]

To be fair, they are. Ok the fiurst two managed to sign good reserves on low averages too but they used up lots of points on their top 4.

So you're telling me that teams sign reserves on averages higher than 5 then use the rest for the remaining riders , yeah right that makes sense Most of the PL team,s have done that this season...NOT!

[Skodaman 192]

Just bring back the qualifying round and give the competition some credibility.these were always well supported meetings,the Promoters need to pay the correct rates of pay instead of over the odds that most are forking out and these meetings would be viable,the Finals were always well supported too.

 

13 teams in the league. 3x4=12. Which team will miss out in the qualifying rounds?

[Cj69 333]

13 teams in the league. 3x4=12. Which team will miss out in the qualifying rounds?

 

Reigning champions??

[DiamondsRock 79]

Why should the lineup be diluted by replacing a stronger team with a weaker one? Defending champions - don't think they've ever been seeded through automatically, probably as the teams can change considerably each year. I'd rather watch the best four's of the current season.

 

A wild idea - on the day of the fours, seed one team through to the SF based upon the averages. For rest, make 3 groups of 4 teams - 4 riders each. Give each rider a single race. The top two teams of each group advance to the SF, along with the third placed team out of all the groups. This way you can add a quick qualifying round to the meeting so that every team has a chance to win it.

 

On the other hand the extra races would add costs to the meeting, and would any more supporters turn up?

Edited June 12, 2012 by DiamondsRock

[Mr Snackette 190]

Why should the lineup be diluted by replacing a stronger team with a weaker one? Defending champions - don't think they've ever been seeded through automatically, probably as the teams can change considerably each year. I'd rather watch the best four's of the current season.......

 

No, but the hosts have been seeded through in the past, ie Leicester last season. So in that respect it hasn't always been the "best" teams racing in the finals.

 

And if you do want to see the "best", then surely qualification should be based on the combined averages of the top five riders in each team, as each team in the final consists of five, not four riders.

 

No hint of dilution there!!!!!

Edited June 12, 2012 by Mr Snackette

[DiamondsRock 79]

No, but the hosts have been seeded through in the past, ie Leicester last season. So in that respect it hasn't always been the "best" teams racing in the finals.

 

I don't agree with that either, but can see why it's done. How many of the home crowd would turn up if their own team wasn't in it? All about the money!!

 

And if you do want to see the "best", then surely qualification should be based on the combined averages of the top five riders in each team, as each team in the final consists of five, not four riders.

 

No, I'd stick with top four - the reserve doesn't have any programmed rides, and may not ride at all in the meeting.

 

On a side note, does anyone know if they used 2012 season averages or 2011/12 rolling averages for qualification?

[Mr Snackette 190]

............No, I'd stick with top four - the reserve doesn't have any programmed rides, and may not ride at all in the meeting......

 

Clearly you weren't at the Finals last season, where the reserves took 15 rides and scored 22 points between them!!!!!!

[StevePark 2,783]

13 teams in the league. 3x4=12. Which team will miss out in the qualifying rounds?

 

2 groups of 4, and a group of 5 (with one team missing a round each), worked well enough a few years ago.

 

Group winners and best runner-up qualify for the Four Team Final.