szkocjasid

I guess I'm thinking of Erik as a near 9 point rider on a 7 point average, I always expect him to start flying. If Redcar get guests can only replace him based on how well he's going, not how well he had the potential to do?

But saying Barker would not have come last on heats 13 & 15 is an opinion. Barker's home average for 2025 is 6.59 (6.82) so you can't insist he'd have scored more than r/r the way I see it. We'll never know if Plymouth would have won with Barker, but injuries, illnesses & riders preferring to be in Poland are just part of Speedway. Clubs just have to try & deal with it.

Only if they had other heat leader options that they decided against.

Disaster for Redcar, especially with Riss not having a high average for guests. However Redcar still have a good team, a strong top 2 & promising reserves. Of course, hope Riss can make a quick recovery.

Really don't think clubs should get a facility in this situation, either use a 75% guest or say he's withholding his services & he gets a 28 day ban.

But teams will get a guest. If clubs had to use juniors, I'd understand the reluctance to sign Cook.

Give Annti Vuolas another shot?

But if Pedersen rides one match then walks out, Birmingham can get strong guests in for a month!

I can't believe it happens at all, if a rider refused heat 15 I'd sack him on the spot. If there were suitable replacements of course. Or maybe put something in their contract, refusing a ride carries a fine?

But what about riders who have upped their average & get dropped (like Trigger) or get dropped because someone else got injured (like Hume), what about riders who only get a handful of matches before being dropped (like Spencer)? You say it's different to being made redundant, but what about the other way round, if I want to leave my job I'm not banned from working elsewhere for 28 days. That's my issue, if clubs can drop riders at the drop of the hat, then riders should be able to leave clubs without a ban. If riders get banned for 28 days, then clubs should pay them for 28 days!

Oxford are over 2 points above the limit, wouldn't be easy to fit Nicholls back in. Who would they drop Jenkins (injured), Knudsen (misses matches)? Jody Scott would've been useful on a 2, but he's not available now. Sam Masters 10.29 Scott Nicholls 8.53 Cameron Heeps 6.51 Mitchell McDiarmid 5.71 Luke Killeen 4.23 Darryl Ritchings 2.35 Max James / Tom Spencer 2.00 Total 39.62 Sam Masters 10.29 Scott Nicholls 8.53 Mitchell McDiarmid 5.71 James Pearson 5.51 Luke Killeen 4.23 Ben Trigger 3.34 Darry Ritchings 2.35 Total 39.96

What's happened to Ashton Vale? With 2 divisions meaning more rides for the development riders, you'd think they'd be less likely to call it a day? While no one likes guests, at least it's development riders getting extra fixtures.

I thought the rule was Poland gets priority if a match was rained off & rearranged for a Thursday, when did it become Poland gets priority no matter what?

Glasgow vs Oxford is off. Neither club has a fixture on the 11th, should be a simple one to rearrange. Oxford certainly don't mind using guests when they only have half a team.

Would Edinburgh be better off putting Sedgmen at 5 at home?

I see Fredriksen is guesting for Oxford at Glasgow. If Plymouth are serious about a play-offs push then Oxford are their direct rivals for a play-off spot (Glasgow are secure imo). While I don't expect Oxford to pick up points at Glasgow, if they do then Lasse's hurting Plymouth's chances I'd say. Edit: I don't think Plymouth will get anywhere near 4th, so no harm in him guesting for their "play-offs rivals"

Would be no surprise to see Sheffield hit 60 points

Guesting or team change?

It's very easy to say a 2 pointer isn't doing well enough, but much harder to suggest a replacement who will do better. Which you've shown by suggesting a 5 point rider to replace him lol!

Hardly terrible team building. Glasgow are still in the BSN, KOC & favourites to make the play-offs. Before tonights match had won all 3 away league matches. Yes they have weak reserves, they must have known that pre-season, so need their top 5 to win matches for them!

Even if he hadn't ridden, I think it would be a 75% guest not a NL guest. But as others have said, he's already ridden a match for Glasgow.

I wouldn't go as far as that, but I think dropped riders should get some form of compensation. For example if Trigger wanted to leave Plymouth he'd get a 28 day ban, so if Plymouth drop Trigger pay him (his average) for any Plymouth matches in the next 28 days (unless he gets signed elsewhere)?

Very good post. I wonder of Belle Vie will replace Zischke this year, they've been patient with him, but really need a stronger reserve to challenge for the title imo. For Brennan, has he stalled in Britain this year because he's in such a good team he doesn't have to go well to win, compared to last year, when he needed to be amazing to avoid heavy defeats. Maybe a lack of pressure isn't working for him? For the last paragraph, that's the problem with the play-offs, Ipswich & Belle Vue clashing, doesn't excite me, it's what happens in the play-offs that matters. For that reason I found Birmingham vs King's Lynn the match with more riding on it.

All very good points, would be happy with that. Far far better than the current system.

Whoever King's Lynn don't pick as their RS, Sheffield could ask the other to guest?