Islander15

Wouldn’t a Birmingham side of actual past or present riders get more home fans to go?!

A risky policy with everything so uncertain for next year.

That will walk the league on a low points limit.

Sounds like he’s in the team then so that surely suggests that Kent are staying in the bottom tier in whatever guise it takes.

Was Ledwith as good as his score suggests? It wasn’t the strongest NL cability line-up but if wants to full-time place next year and came in on a 3.50 like Clifton, Purchase etc then it would be a shrewd move by the team but morally questionable.

Bring them in on a 3.00, it’s the only objective way, but give the assessed average riders an average after 4 meetings in ALL competitions! So they’re not hitting massive scores at reserve for a third of the season.

That Peterborough side looks like a Scunthorpe select!

Why does Grondal have a new average effective now?

What are those guys supposed to do though when the league system forces them out higher up? Clegg has been dropped 3 times this season higher up and Perry, Davey, Hopwood & Roynon couldn’t find a team! If there were more opportunities for these riders to step up, without being unceremoniously dropped, then maybe they wouldn’t need the NL as a fall back. But the standard of reserve in the Championship is so high that they understandably struggle and know that it’s against the current norm if they last the season. None of that is the NL’s problem.

The NL IS developing riders whilst also being a competitive league that people want to pay money for to watch. Look at Bewley, Bickley, Kemp, Edwards, Jenkins, Atkins, Mountain, Hume, Shanes, Bacon, Bowtell, Thomas, Stoneman, Brennan, Wood etc and all these riders have successfully made the step up or are very close to it. Ripping apart this league and making it full of sides like that Scunthorpe Stags team recently is not going to get fans to turn up and watch them and not going to prepare these riders for the step up!

Exactly. Unfortunately that’s happened too often in recent years so it wouldn’t surprise me if it happened again. Just look at the asset fiasco.

Unfortunately both Plymouth & Isle of Wight have ran articles in the speedway star lately saying that a devalued NL isn’t viable and they may have to look at stepping up a tier. Obviously the costs of that can be as detrimental as running with many ‘wobblers’ in the team.

Your first paragraph is true but the current situation is flawed too.

At least Eastbourne & Mildenhall are probably the best two teams in the league and deserve finals. Other than the randomness of Lakeside & Peterborough as you’ve said just pushing back meetings and then ending up cramming them all back to back.

Powell at reserve makes Eastbourne look even stronger. Whereas Halder dropping to reserve makes Coventry look a little weaker.

Totally agree that everybody should start on a 3.00 but move up the team quicker. The problem with making a small number of meetings get a new average is somebody good can have a bad couple of meeting and drop to reserve when that is not their ability. So I suggest using 4 meetings in all competitions to get a new average for assessed riders and 8 new meetings in all competitions for everyone else! That will also stop clubs using unattached 3.00 superstars in the POs, NLKOC & NT.

I thought Birmingham had a decent shot with the original team, but now I can’t see it. Unfortunate that they’ve had such numerous injuries when it’s always looked a decent team.

I didn’t realise the Thompson twins were due next year.

Going on opinions like that is what makes many dodgy decisions in this sport. Kinsley has scored impressively to essentially earn his place.

Whoever has Gilkes at reserve have an excellent prospect. Plus I can’t see there being several newbies on his ability to spread around, unlike this year in Kemp, Flint & Edwards.

Brennan is 3rd in the Eastbourne averages. A better question is why is Perry in over Smith?

It’s usually another Southern team that does that

When they changed the date at only a couple of weeks notice it ruled me out and I assume many others too. The date has been there on the calendar allowing us to plan our lives but then all of a sudden it changes!

Morally out of order? Yes Within speedways rules? Also yes

‘Any other reason’ in the NL. If someone wants Gilkes, and he agrees, they’ll get away with it.