Were The Play-offs Decided By Reserves?

[Grachan 7,362]

You people need to get out more. It's just four blokes riding motorcycles round

 

 

No it isn't. It's much more than that.

[Crazy robin 2,963]

At least one EL promoter is proposing only one FT reserve next year with the other being any under 22 years - foreign or otherwise!!

 

Presumably those clubs with both reserves as their assets eg KL, Coventry, could still choose to keep both assuming their calculated averages suit the format/points limit next year?

Surprise, surprise & I wonder who that could be!!.

[HenryW 1,178]

If the play-off teams were decided by the reserves, would that actually be a bad thing?

 

The original claim was that this was a move to encourage the British youngsters. If that was genuinely the intent and it wasn't just about saving money, which I think most suspect it really was, the reserves being a deciding factor would surely be a good thing!

 

If a team needs to have good young British riders to win the league then surely teams will learn that they actually need to invest in young British riders so that they can win the league...That surely delivers the on the claimed intent to encourage British youngsters.

 

The fairness of this years draft pick was destroyed from the start with clubs claiming their assets, which gave KL & Poole an advantage.

I disagree that the claiming of assets was a bad thing.

Personally, I think that the biggest flaws of the system this year were the "draft" and the fixed points money for FTR riders (although I'm not sure whether that was actually enforced).

 

If you want to genuinely benefit the young Brits surely you keep the race format the same but get rid of the draft. Why not let teams fight for the young Brits financially rather than having the draft and a set pay scale?

 

If the reserves are crucial to winning the league it should become an incentive for teams to actually work on developing young talent or at least encourage them to pay other teams that are willing to work on developing riders. Aside from transfer fees it also encourages teams to offer good money to the kids and encourages the local companies to sponsor the kids that can make a big difference to the league winning chances....

Is that not what we really want? Rather than money being thrown at the middle order Dane, Swede, Czech, etc, the money gets pushed towards the young Brits?

[Skidder1 7,637]

Surprise, surprise & I wonder who that could be!!.

Leicester's!!!!

[Authorised 60]

So only 3 rides per meeting for a reserve to keep two bikes to elite league standard, all for £50 a point ? I don't think you'll find many youngsters lining up for that.

 

 

As I also pointed out, if there was a 2nd half - or Junior League - they wouldn't be fussed. Surely it is about track time, and not the money?? It needs a willingness on both parties to understand what the Fast Track is there for.

 

 

Lewis Blackbird's injury is covered in your detail and poses the question "Would the Eagles have squeezed into the play off's had it not been for his injury?"

 

I think that quite simply the teams with the best fast track rider(s) are always going to be the main challengers under the current system. Poor reserves and two 1-5's in heats 2 and 9 and you're give the opposition an 8 point start each match.

 

The whole thing really needs looking at this winter. The afore mentioned riders are not going to be fast track next year, so will their (on any other) clubs give them a 1 to 5 slot?

If not they will be returned to the PL and to my mind that will have made the fast track idea a pointless exercise.

 

I think with Lewis Blackbird riding, they could have got into the play-offs. They picked up 0.75 league points per away meeting that he did, compared to 0.08 that he did not do. Eagles couldn't cover adequately, but also do not forget he missed meetings due to fixture clashes too.

 

Equally, if Belle Vue and Coventry had swapped reserves - Belle Vue would be in the play-offs. Again - vs. previous seasons - weak reserves usually meant a stronger 1-5. Not this year, so the 1-5 will always struggle to pull back that 8 point deficit.

 

In 4 meetings - reserves combined for 2 points or less, Belle Vue twice at home, Leicester twice away. Leicester managed just 1 point at Eastbourne. 2 should be the bare minimum ( 2 * 5-1s, remainder zeros). Belle Vue managed to overturn it once without taking maximum home points.

 

 

At least one EL promoter is proposing only one FT reserve next year with the other being any under 22 years - foreign or otherwise!!

 

Presumably those clubs with both reserves as their assets eg KL, Coventry, could still choose to keep both assuming their calculated averages suit the format/points limit next year?

 

Should be British only imo.

 

If the play-off teams were decided by the reserves, would that actually be a bad thing?

 

 

I disagree that the claiming of assets was a bad thing.

 

I don't think the competition is very "Elite" if it is decided by reserves, and top 5s are interchangeable. Does a company in the outside world exist on a make/break on its apprentices.

 

The Asset system goes against the definition of what a draft should look like in my opinion. The entire system is dated as has been long discussed on this forum.

 

As with a point I made in the original post, if a 16 year old is coming through and the draft is continued, he would be more valuable (and costly) to acquire as an asset, than someone with draft experience etc...? Price tags and making them a key to league success may weigh heavy on their shoulders when it should be about learning your trade.

 

There is a happy medium to be found between the draft and league success. I wouldn't be happy if I was a bottom 4 side and rules are changed to suit play-off finalists / asset holding clubs this season. Bidding wars on assets cannot be a long term ambition of the draft, it will force clubs out.

[stevebrum 6,824]

Cant believe the title of this thread.

What is different in any previous year??

A high scoring reserve has always helped teams into the play offs and a team with one wins the Final.

Nothing new to report here!

 

 

 

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Garrity becomes a Bees asset especially if the draft continues and he is in it.

 

Not according to rumours, but time will tell i guess.

[Crazy robin 2,963]

Cant believe the title of this thread.

What is different in any previous year??

A high scoring reserve has always helped teams into the play offs and a team with one wins the Final.

Nothing new to report here!

 

 

 

 

Not according to rumours, but time will tell i guess.

In previous seasons it was a points limit so was down to the team how they set up their side .

 

As proved the team who went with a reserve who changed often was very good as proved by Swindon when they had 4 different riders interchanging in 2012.

 

This season the draft just wasn't fair & that was proved by the top 4 or 5 including Lewis Blackbird.

[ytsejam 312]

Cant believe the title of this thread.

What is different in any previous year??

A high scoring reserve has always helped teams into the play offs and a team with one wins the Final.

Nothing new to report here!

 

 

 

 

Not according to rumours, but time will tell i guess.

 

Well, there's one BIG difference in that in previous years a "high scoring reserve" would move up into the main team and therefore not be able to have 7 rides and also replace others in the top 5 who were out of form on the night. This seasons fast track idea has been a decent one but its been wrong that the reserves cannot be promoted into the main team if their average justifies it. Basically as the title of this thread says, reserve strength has decided which 4 teams got into the play offs, which surely shouldn't be the main driving factor behind speedway racing?