25yearfan 476 Posted October 12, 2014 ["Phil The Ace" post=2529658" timestamp="1412949287] Money is a factor in Bridger's decision yet he can afford to go on multiple holidays etc and seems to live tge high life. I really like lewis. Excellent rider for me but threatening to retire every year is getting a bit boring now I'd have him at belle vue though. Bit like the numourous promoters pleading poverty yet going on long holidays and continuing to run the speedway the following year! Neil Machin who goes to Aussie every winter used to be a prime example of this! When I was younger I had many years when I couldn't afford to go abroad and indeed go out much at all and there was people much worse of than me! Lewis Bridger is an extremely talented rider who I doubt will get any better than he is cause hes to cavalier and often not smart enough! That said hes great entertainment value and hes one of that rare species that's British and has progressed further than NL heatleader/PL reserve so I hope he continues! Anyway I suspect he probably hasn't got many if any qualifications and wouldn't be able to earn anywhere near the same amount of money he does out of speedway? ["Phil The Ace" post=2529658" timestamp="1412949287] Money is a factor in Bridger's decision yet he can afford to go on multiple holidays etc and seems to live tge high life. I really like lewis. Excellent rider for me but threatening to retire every year is getting a bit boring now I'd have him at belle vue though. Bit like the numourous promoters pleading poverty yet going on long holidays and continuing to run the speedway the following year! Neil Machin who goes to Aussie every winter used to be a prime example of this! When I was younger I had many years when I couldn't afford to go abroad and indeed go out much at all and there was people much worse of than me! Lewis Bridger is an extremely talented rider who I doubt will get any better than he is cause hes to cavalier and often not smart enough! That said hes great entertainment value and hes one of that rare species that's British and has progressed further than NL heatleader/PL reserve so I hope he continues! Anyway I suspect he probably hasn't got many if any qualifications and wouldn't be able to earn anywhere near the same amount of money he does out of speedway? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EnglishRoundabout 1,752 Posted October 12, 2014 Talented maybe, but it takes more than talent to make it in speedway. Wisdom, savvy, even intelligence..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blueherb777 571 Posted October 12, 2014 Talented maybe, but it takes more than talent to make it in speedway. Wisdom, savvy, even intelligence..... .............. and in Hancock`s case............... a SMILE!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim3751 88 Posted October 12, 2014 I had great sympathy for Lewis when he said he was suffering from depression but he came back almost immeditely somehow revitalised. So was it really depression? If it wasn't he shouldn't use something so serious as an excuse for just going through a rough patch. He's talented but he wouldn't be the first sportsman to waste talent then regret it when he's past it. He needs a good mentor and surely JC fits the bill but if he wants more money how about Poole? They're very tolerant of riders going off form Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dabbsjoe 149 Posted October 13, 2014 I had great sympathy for Lewis when he said he was suffering from depression but he came back almost immeditely somehow revitalised. So was it really depression? If it wasn't he shouldn't use something so serious as an excuse for just going through a rough patch. He's talented but he wouldn't be the first sportsman to waste talent then regret it when he's past it. He needs a good mentor and surely JC fits the bill but if he wants more money how about Poole? They're very tolerant of riders going off form He's the prime example of a spoilt child who has always got his own way, whenever something goes wrong it is never his fault. don't really want to comment on the depression thing as I've seen it effect some people in a really bad way. but I agree that his comeback from that was all too sudden Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted October 13, 2014 He's the prime example of a spoilt child who has always got his own way, whenever something goes wrong it is never his fault. don't really want to comment on the depression thing as I've seen it effect some people in a really bad way. but I agree that his comeback from that was all too sudden How do you know he is over it? Amazing how people who are not doctors and have never met the bloke know what's wrong with him. Anyway back to the point of the thread. By this stage Jon Cook usually has a pretty clear idea of who the team will be. We know that Richard Lawson is nailed on and Kim Nilsson is 99 % , so it seems to hinge on how many points are left to play with depending on whether they get AJ. As Lewis talking about a year out he obviously hasn't been given the nod on a team place as yet, either at Lakeside or anywhere else. Lakeside now have first call on Danny King. who is not as prolific or entertaining as Lewis round Lakeside, but he is generally better at other tracks, and he has indicated he would like to come, plus he is more of a team player than Lewis,so he must be in the running. In addition, if KL release Rory, Lakeside seems to be his natural home. He likes the track, most of the fans like him and he, like Danny is a good team player, which seems to count a lot with Jon Cook. But if AJ doesn't come the club would still need an all out No1. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevtheRev 122 Posted October 13, 2014 Can't believe some of the comments on here. How is Danny more of a team player than Lewis? If the Brummies come back (and I hope they do) then Danny will be back there IMHO. 2 years ago, Lewis could have taken the easy option and doubled up the the PL, like some others. But he took the brave option to branch out into Poland in an effort to better himself. He should have been given more credit for that decision. The guys has improved for the last 2 seasons and certainly other clubs are now sniffing around to see his availability. I'd like to see AJ, Bech, Lewis, Kim & Richard back in the Hammers colours in 2015. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted October 13, 2014 I'd like to see AJ, Bech, Lewis, Kim & Richard back in the Hammers colours in 2015. They wouldn't fit on a 32 point limit, which seems likely to continue. Even if they knocked 2 points off Richards average to off-set the fact that he spent most of the season as a second string, they still wouldn't fit. Therein lies the problem. Everyone would like to see Bech back but there is no point if he is going to be missing lots of meetings again. He was on a bargain average when he came in on a five-point average last season but on a 7.24 his average is not quite such a bargain. If AJ comes back I doubt if you will see another continental rider in the side, apart from Kim who seems more committed to British speedway than most. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbee 510 Posted October 13, 2014 They wouldn't fit on a 32 point limit, which seems likely to continue. Even if they knocked 2 points off Richards average to off-set the fact that he spent most of the season as a second string, they still wouldn't fit. Therein lies the problem. Everyone would like to see Bech back but there is no point if he is going to be missing lots of meetings again. He was on a bargain average when he came in on a five-point average last season but on a 7.24 his average is not quite such a bargain. If AJ comes back I doubt if you will see another continental rider in the side, apart from Kim who seems more committed to British speedway than most. we are having AJ back keep your hands of squad system he would fit in just nice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marko 956 Posted October 13, 2014 No idea on points or even if the Elite League will resemble anything like what we have seen this year but i would love to see AJ back as its a treat to watch him miss the start, Lawson certainly should return, he is now very much an out and out Hammer and someone the crowd can really get behind as one of their own. Mikkel B Jensen if conflicting dates can be avoided or limited is another i would welcome back with open arms, Kim Nilsson i am sure will be in contention, he still needs to improve his scores on these shores but can be a handy rider down the card and if there is any chance of Danny King returning that would be good, he has always been a popular rider at Lakeside much like his brother was. Other riders who have never been Hammers riders bar guest that i would like to see possibly included are Hans Andersen, Rory Schlein, Ricky Wells and Timo Lahti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Countershaftcounter 360 Posted October 16, 2014 if there's only one FTR next year, who would you like to see ride for the hammers ? ( not just limited to Morley/Ellis) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim3751 88 Posted October 17, 2014 No mention of Davey Watt. Sorry just an observation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mjolnir 184 Posted October 17, 2014 if there's only one FTR next year, who would you like to see ride for the hammers ? ( not just limited to Morley/Ellis) Definitely Ellis / Kingston for me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted October 18, 2014 No mention of Davey Watt. Sorry just an observation I am an fan of Davey. He gets. Bad press because he has some howlers at away tracks, but when he was riding in conjunction with Peter Karlsson he did a decent job IMO and in 2013 especaially Davey and PK went out plenty of times in heats 13 and 15 to secure the full 3 points when the rest of the team had wavered. The problem is that Davey is a decent second heatleader but he is not really a genuine No 1 so when PK went off the boil this year it was too much for Davey to carry it off on his own, without consistent support from the others in the big heats. Personally Iwouldn't mind seeing Davey back in a second heatleader role but as the clubs priority is for a full No 1 I think it will be, difficult to fit Davey in if the points limit stays at 32, but who knows. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marko 956 Posted October 23, 2014 With respect Addio i think you are possibly being a bit harsh on PK, I don't think you can blame him directly for Davey Watts scoring, looking at the averages from meetings rode for Lakeside there is only 0.11 difference between the two, they both equally under performed. In my opinion Lakeside took a chance having two elder statesmen in the team and it backfired, of course the new format played its part but its quite damning that both PK and Davey started out as our top two and would have finished 4th and 5th respectively had they both seen out the season as Hammers. Regarding Davey, he is still a very reasonable rider on his day, in fact he can be as entertaining as any but its that flip side of him that appears more often than many would like is the reason i would not have him back, for whatever reason, sometimes he just does not seem to have his heart in it. The club has made good strides in the last season or two of bringing down the average age of the side, hopefully this will continue. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
