szkocjasid

That's a bit harsh, still averaging over 5.8

So both Kerr & Kemp have beaten Killeen! No one can beat Heeps though, who must be wondering why he isn't riding for the Spires?

I understand the logic of deciding no-one will beat Masters & Nicholls in heat 13, so trying to score more in 8,12&14, but I do feel for Etheridge. It's certainly a move done to avoid a drubbing / give themselves a chance of the bonus point. Does make them look very weak in the heats with Etheridge & Hodder though!

Why didn't the Spires sign Heeps?

Yeah, I know he's got to try & be positive, but that's a bit of a stretch. More accurately if the team all clicks they'll have the ability to win 46-44 at home & score 40 points away.

Comments by Peter Schroeck after the match (from British Speedway website) “It’s very deflating to come here with a 16-point lead and not take away the aggregate point". What did he think would happen when he weakened the team? “We didn’t really lose it in Heat 13 or 15, you know what can happen in those races around here with Belle Vue have their big guns out. “We lost the aggregate point in other races where we should have scored more. Then why did he weaken his reserve pairing if he knew he needed points outwith heats 13&15? "It could prove costly at the end of the season and we need to make up for it elsewhere.” That actually sounds like he wants the team to do well & make the play-offs. Based on his team changes I honestly wasn't sure!

I'm sure Lynn had a "team Australia" one year. Adams, Crump, Boyce, Parker & maybe Travis McGowan or is he too young for that era?

They've tried a few things before but it never lasts. One year the KOC included choosing gates when 6 behind, was there a match race too, losing team wins that and gets 3 points? Think that was the old 13 heat format with 2 nominated races. They were gonna have a 3 team tournament (Jubilee League) but decided to go back to 2 legs (never raced). I remember an Edinburgh vs Glasgow Scottish Cup tie over 13 heats & a second half like years ago, but not all the riders wanted to go out for the second half, so the Glasgow leg became a 15 heat match. The Premiership KO Cup had a fans choose the nominated heat riders one year too. Do we blame the "powers that be" for giving up on ideas too easily or is it the same fans that demand something different then don't like anything new?

Will be interesting to see the riding order, can't imagine Howarth would be at 2. Maybe Vuolas 2 & Howarth 3?

Both Edinburgh (Hook) and Birmingham (Pearson) signed 4.00 newcomers in 2022, who averaged less than 3.00. They both brought them back for a second season, hoping they'd improve but ended up dropping them. Ironically they finally hit the averages after leaving the clubs, Pearson last year, Hook this year. So if Leibmann lasts the season, which seems likely, they should certainly bring her back & try to reap the benefit of being patient with her. I'd they're not planning to bring her back, don't see the benefit of keeping her till the end of the season? The biggest difference is, Edinburgh & Birmingham were near the bottom of the league, so a change of reserve wouldn't win them trophies, as Workington are much stronger (at 1-5) there is more reason to make a change this season than waiting for Leibmann to hit her assessed average.

Chance for Kemp to make Oxford look silly if he can pull off a big score!

Yeah, I was confused when I saw the riding order announced. Mind you 1+5 for Lynn could actually be one of their weaker pairings, so less need for Sayfutdinov to be in heat 13.

He's not in a RS spot now & has a team. Next year if he rides as a RS, could be the top one.

All 3 new signings have equal or lower averages than the riders replacing, so could make one change or 3. I don't expect Scott to sign, I'm sure Oxford want him as a 2.00 rider next year. As for Celina & Sam, how long do you wait for them to make the starts? I've seen clips of heats & Celina is certainly on the pace, but that doesn't mean she's scoring points. Workington were very loyal last year & look to be this year too. Poole on the other hand, would make any change in order to win. It's one of the reasons they've been successful over the years.

Has to be that way, can't expect the fans to settle for 3 riders races when someone is injured. No different from the Champ really, Hagon got extra rides when Foord was injured.

I can't understand it. It's like Schroeck has decided to drop every rider who's underperformed even if there's not a stronger replacement out there? Except Janowski. Like you I'm struggling to think of a time something like this has happened before

I only remember Heeps in the top division at Ipswich & Wolves in recent years?

Tough match for Workington, fancy Poole to win, which will hurt Comets play-offs chances.

If the RS is injured the other reserve could come in. Hagon already rides for Leicester, you'd have to compare Mulford to Joe Thompson, Nathan Ablitt etc

Looks like I've been blocked from the Oxford FB page. Shame clubs can't be as quick to block all the scammers lol! Can't deny I'm disappointed, I don't swear, I'm not abusive to riders, I don't suggest they aren't trying. However I am honest when I comment, such as I think Kemp is better than Killeen & Kerr is better than Kemp. Surely when Oxford made those changes, they must have known they'd come under plenty of stick for it? If they blocked everyone who disagreed with Schroeck's team managing, there'd be virtually no one left!

With the riding order changed, it's dawned on me Oxford have weakened in 3 different ways. 1) Riss will score less in the main body of the team. 2) Boughen will score less, now he's not the RS. 3) Killeen will score less as a RS than Boughen did. That's some going when making ONE change lol!

I didn't see the match, my comment was based on the point - just because a team puts in an amazing effort - doesn't mean the score will show that. Most of the Oxford riders got a decent score imo, therefore the reason for the bp loss is because they're not a strong team.

As someone else said Mulford couldn't be replaced in heat 8. If he's not the best RS option for Aces, who would you pick?

If Workington replaced Zischke, Leibmann & McGurk with Riss, Manzares / Starke & Scott they'd be amongst the favourites for trophies imo

They did really well, especially Edwards