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That's only for the top 5, not reserves. Wouldn't surprise me if the teams forget the rules, but the BSPL should know them.

One of the problems with the play-offs are the previous 24 matches are instantly forgotten, if a team loses in the semi-final or final, it's a disappointing end to the season. Leicester finishing 2nd in the table is obviously a good season, but all the focus is now on them losing in the play-off final, so it's hard for fans to look back on the season fondly. For this same reason Fricke having a high average for 24 league matches is forgotten as he didn't do well in the play-offs. Are there riders out there who perform better when the pressure is on?

Catching up on Speedway Stars I've missed, don't know if this was mentioned but how was James Pearson able to guest for Jordan Jenkins. Jordan's average was 3.74, but as a foreigner Pearson should be on a minimum 4.00 regardless of his Champ average right? Just as well he didn't score & Sheffield won.

When Leicester were having their tremendous run-in to the play-offs they didn't need a stronger 1+5 as the top 5 were all doing their jobs (& more). Unfortunately when it mattered in the play-offs that form deserted them.

Probably want to get the play-offs semi finals organised, give them lots of time to publicise it. For commercial reasons obviously

I feel I have a memory of a club doing fund raising, maybe for a new stadium, with the money being kept "safe" with the understanding that of the stadium didn't come to fruition, then the money would be given back? Birmingham could do something similar.

If it was the difference between running or not, I'd let Birmingham run in the Champ on a Monday. Don't sign riders from a Monday Premiership club & do your best to avoid clashes with doubling up riders. Like you say, with less fixtures, should be achievable. Even if it means gusts used occasionally, would anyone notice?

Lets be honest if Peter Schroeck needed to be told / reminded to bring in a high scoring Luke Killeen into heat 12, then he shouldn't be a team manager. If I was the Oxford promotion, I would've sacked him on the spot. Maybe he's good with motivation, ot working with the kids, then fine - let him do that. But keep him away from any tactical decisions.

Forgot about that, not many great options after Starke, so would've gone with Scott in that case. Maybe Starke for the KOC final?

Can only imagine two massive crowds, with the fans really keen to get one over on another

I know Oxford like to promote their youngsters & that is admirable, but there is a time & a place for doing that. Imo it's not when you are chasing a Premiership play-offs place (dropping Kemp) not in a grand final (not using Starke?) Maybe they tried a guest & couldn't get one, but I agree Starke could've made a big difference.

Looks a very strong team.

Any Oxford fan or neutral who felt Oxford were unlucky with refereeing decisions, should also admit they should've had a bigger lead after the non inclusion of Killeen in heat 12 of the first leg. Would a 14 or 16 point lead have changed the tone of the match, we'll never know. But if the refs getting the blame, Schroeck should too.

I don't think a Speedway exam would do any good, I'm sure he could ride round safely in practice. But against two opponents in a grand final, every rider is going to race harder, go for gaps they normally wouldn't etc. The only crash I've seen was his one with Jody Scott, I'd have excluded Vinnie, but wouldn't call that dangerous riding. Not seen enough of him to comment on his other crashes.

A journeyman? Kasprzak was a world number 2. If Boughen can have a career like KK did, he'll have done very well

Track issues obviously caused that, Rickardsson had to be excluded, I think that's what he was saying to Nicki as he appeared to be pointing to the track. No point listening to Nicki screaming at him, I understand why he's upset, but Rickardsson didn't do it on purpose. I've not seen tonight's crashes, so can't comment of if any of the riders can blame the track for knocking off their opponents.

If true, there's no excuse for that

Actually it's on FB I've seen more people against the Doyle inclusion, very disappointing tbh. Thought the majority of fans would want the best riders in the series, unlike the FIM we don't have to worry about viewing figures etc.

Is that a bad thing though? If the current riders are better than the riders outside the series, why shouldn't they get back in?

That's a lot better than the current system. Only downside is the likes of Doyle & Michelsen would miss out on 2025. Maybe plan wildcards before the GP Challenge, but only for riders who would have made the top 6 baring injury. So this year that would have been Doyle & Michelsen. Then bottom 8 meet top 8 qualifiers, with the top 6 qualifying for next year's GP? This idea also stops current GP riders having to enter the qualifiers, which I think is a good thing.

But Wozniak outscored Kvech! So who decides who has "badly underperformed" & who hasn't? Personally I'm not a fan of that rule, GPs are supposed to be hard, it's supposed to be tough to qualify. Plenty of riders have dropped out & come back in stronger, Woffinden, Hampel, Laguta, Vaculik, Sayfutdinov for example (if my memory is correct).

She got an SGP2 wildcard ahead of stronger compatriots. I'm sure if she got anywhere near GP level, she'd get a wild card.

Can't disagree with anything you've said. Although I'm not bothered about them only having 2 Poles, as long as the alternatives were better riders than Janowski / Dudek / Kolodziej, which they clearly aren't. Their explanation of why Kvech was included was pretty embarrassing to say the least.

Totally agree, even now seeing so many people apparently astonished that Doyle has been picked, how can they be that dumb?

Totally agree, 2 good picks, 2 terrible picks.