Sings4Speedway

indeed except that Screeny had everything namely talent, flair and determination. The only way Halder will get anywhere close to super joe is by buying a set of his old boots.

You are correct not everything has to be dog eat dog but in the sporting world it usually is. Where Speedway has historically fallen down is the individuality of the riders and the way they move around clubs (loyalty works both ways i know). Other sports do have academy levels and the benefit of higher teams investing into the future riders from an early stage.

Whilst im not saying the current system is perfect (far from it) i am against protecting riders. The Aussies have to sink or swim and they are doing alright, offering safety nets to riders does not help the drive and ambition. If you want to see a bigger pipeline of higher standard UK riders then the level has to be set high enough so that they know what is required. If the bar is set at competent and average then that is what we will continue to churn out.

That is very true however they do still require additional travelling time. I know on a personal level i would attend Rye House if it was operating on a Sat or Sun but realistically wouldn't be able to make any sensible attempts to attend Mon-Fri run meetings without time off from work.

Halder has been getting decent runs in sides since 2015, got himself up to 4.5 ish at some points but that appears to be his level. A little too much timber / lack of fitness and a little brittle when it comes to injuries. I suspect he will end up looking the/one of the weakest link/s in the team.

Rye House used to run plenty of practice sessions to 'come and impress' when the team places were already signed and not announced.

I wonder if there are any come and impress practice days lined up?

With the greatest of respect to Harry he had a full season last year and failed to reach his starting 3 point average for this season so he is far from a Palin or Bailey but he should make improvements this year and if he doesn't questions will be asked. It also looks a big year ahead for the Ben's with Woodhull sliding down last year and i fear his interest is waning whilst i think Rathbone will be a much bigger improver this year having visited several tracks last year although a shortened season may hurt those with only one seam place. The Colts should be rock solid at home again this year so it will be how well they travel deciding how well the fare at the end of the season.

I don't really know where the noise is coming from about a drop in level of the NL to make it 2nd teams of the major sides considering the way many teams have treated the dev leagues and their riders with contempt over the years, the way the bspa hammers these sides with fee's to make it difficult for them to get on track and how sadly the standard of the development leagues has fallen in numbers and quality over recent years. A midway product could work with the 'better' dev league riders and lower NL riders on track but what the price point of such a product would be i don't know? also would something like this not lead to grossly inflated averages if the higher level of competition is removed. I definitely fear that interference with what is probably the best organised and most sustainable league in the country is a very dangerous thing.

In all fairness Kent were getting 1000+ to turn out for NL racing on the bank holiday meetings so can be achieved at that level. Although as stated more likely to get 4-500 as a sustainable figure depending on the quality of the side and the racing on show.

All the ingredients for a disaster (late entry, Rye House track & Kevin Jolly) but i sill hope this comes true as would be great to see Rockets/Raiders back on track. Probably too late to be accepted? Sensible head thinks better to wait until 2021 for this to happen but not sure Kev Jolly has one of those.

Time will tell however its a long drive back from places like IOW if he has spent the evening being way off the pace.

Must be more to Watson than his record suggests? From the only stats i can find this season he did 2 x NJL matches (6 rides) and scored 1 point. Granted i don't know who the opposition were for those matches but its hardly a record that sets the world alight.

Anyone know if the minimum points limit still applies? I believe it was brought in to prevent under strength sides hurting other clubs financially. As mentioned previously when the Stags took to the track with a host of 3 pointers it meant huge home wins for sides with poor crowds meaning more money out and less in. If i recall a lot of tracks ended up running the meeting as a double header just to get supporters through the gate (and secretly hoping it would be cancelled after heat 10). Unfortunately weak teams make few friends in any league.

There are a couple of quick bikes in the workshop ready to go.....but i think Jacob might have something to say about it.

Whilst i do fully embrace this approach it has its limitations also. Riders need opportunities to develop at the correct riding order for their abilities. Im sure several remember the Scunthorpe team of a few years ago (the one that forced the introduction of a lower team building limit the following season) where several 3 pointers were given chances in the side but ultimately in the main body of the team so getting much harder races than they needed. Of that side i can only recall Danno Verge who still rides and limited others who went much further after that venture.

Not a great pairing. Chattin has had chances in the past and not really taken them, Woodward strikes me as the type of riders that will jack it in before the season is out. Personally i think they are poor choices from Leicester even if they are the only side to promote riders from the development leagues.

Theres still a 3.13 sized hole at Plymouth that Bursill will fill. Better signing? Not so sure about that. I think there are several who would want it but haven't been offered. Given the Woodward signing im not sure how much the promotion / management know about know about the dev/amateur leagues.

Why out of interest? There have been seasons in the past where Luke has been in with an outside shout but having hardly ridden last year and unspectacularly when he did i fail to see any reason why 3 points would be dropped on him? Would be the worst reserve pairing in the league by some distance if he was the choice.

I just find this whole Kent side a little uninspiring but hoping to be proved wrong. Mulford showed enough last year to see further progression (if he arrives with better bikes), Hagon ive never been impressed with but recent reports suggest he has turned a corner in progression. Jenkins was stagnant last year, Ledwith has a lot to do in the Champs and may find the pressure could affect his NL performances. Gilkes from reserve to Number 1 is a big ask but has been many times before. Clouting deserves a chance but will face a tougher run at 2nd string and Spooner has limited improvement left especially with a short league season. I fear for the NL venture as there is nothing to draw supporters away from the more exciting CL side and crowd levels could be poor. Certainly going to be very interesting what the gate prices are this season?

It does seem / feel strange from Kent. I fear for this level that there could be some riders signed up already and it has left hands tied with available points left over? I can't see Mulford anywhere other than Kent, Clouting likely also as looks strong value on a shade over 3. Can Jenkins & Kemp be without places likewise the ever present Spooner? If so the side might not possess the power of recent seasons and despite decent home advantage it could be a rel feeling of a 2nd side at Kent (TBC) this season.

Certainly cannot disagree that the level of bikes used throughout the sport are far more similar and aggressive but i don't agree that the injury rate is higher (no stats to back this up) but fallers are more frequent due to rider decisions rather than being aboard bikes that cannot be controlled. Most are not ridden anywhere near their actual abilities anyway. The point im not making clear enough is that many riders have already spent out on carbs, engines etc so to either render then useless or require constant changes is additions to costs that the league and its riders can do without. If it was compulsory in the Prem for example then riders could prove that the racing is just as good which is what the sport revolves around and then the results could be filtered down through the levels.

Whilst the idea is sound why is it that is always the NDL that is the proposed testing ground? These are often the riders who are making no money out of the sport that would need to fund the changes and often derived as lower standard riders who's opinion would not be respected by higher grade competitors. The leading ideas are supplying the engines like the 2 valve meetings for testing prior to breaking intro a league or a factory side that supplies the engines to its riders for the season.

Not sure of the NJL rules but MDL used to be no more than 1 rider over 3.00 average in a side and no higher than 5.00 average (actually it used to be not higher than 4.00 and no more than 50 NL meetings but think that has been dropped). That said on reputation and known ability that would be a good MDL side if they were to enter and the best way to strengthen the sport is to make the base level tougher.

In all fairness Josh,Joe,Kieran & Archie could slot into the team at their relative positions and be a respectable group of 2nd strings and reserves. Bit much to ask Halder to be 3rd heat leader though. Danny Phillips seems likely to be included so its just two other heat leaders and its an honest side built with a local flavour.