SCB

Is that possible? There were rumours that the only reason he rode this year is that he had to have a team place to be able to live in the country. Any truth in this?

Zmarzlik was 6.5 but I'd expect him to be 7.5 or 8 these days if someone tried to signing him. As I see it, Pawlicki (Piotr), Zmarzlik and Dudek are all of a very similar level, if Piotr could get 7.7 last season, there no reason why any of them could not be looking at 8 next season. All 3 of them got 9ish in Sweden last season!

I thought it was just Peter Oakes make a judgement call. There was not criteria per se. Just a case of, "what would he average this season?" - IMO all assessed riders should be slightly over estimated rather than under estimated too.

Surely 7.5 or 8 would be closer to the mark.

Typical British attitude of "its not my fault". How have we gone from a Nation that used to be World leaders, innovators, a Nation that people aspired to be to now one where everytime something goes wrong, however big or small, someone has to respond with "its not my fault". We all need to take more responsibility, be it at individual level or National level or anything in between and get on with it, and try and be great rather than complain that someone else is too great for us to compete with!

Surely the main thing here is that the kids are getting track time. That can only ever be a good thing!

Lets be honest, if he can get this good, this quickly, does he need EL speedway? Shame, as what little I've seen of him he's bloody brilliant!

The issue, IMO, with the KOC was that meeting were squashed in with a few weeks notice. How can people really plan to go to a meeting when they dont know it happening until 3 weeks before it happens? Give the KOC round 1 (any possible prelims) a deadline of May 1st, the next round June 15th, the Semis August 1st and the final September 15th. Gives 6 weeks to arrange and run each meeting. Any meeting not run is a 60-30 home loss, both legs failed then the team they're due to face gets a bye.

If you look passed Robert Lambert, Ulrich Ostergaard, Lewis Blackbird, Michael Palm Toft and Anders Thomsen then yes he is!

Which to some extent is what the draft is trying to do. Just been chatting to my dad about Swindon and their end of an era meeting (and mainly how crap and uninspiring their line up is) and Swindon teams over the years. Swindon have, I'm sure they'll agree, generally had pretty crap teams. Taking 40 years to win a title proves that to some extent. But Swindon always had a lynch pin number 1, Briggs, Ashby, Crump, Adams. What Swindon then always had was a load of locals, maybe not the best, maybe not World beaters (although Ashby and Kilby had a good at times) but good honest, local lads. Thats what placated the locals who could accept not winning because they were seeing that lad they had watched all his career build his way up. It's nice to see someone at the top who you once saw at the bottom. Chris Harris winning Cardiff, I saw him as a CL/NL reserve. Tai Woffinden becoming World Champion? I saw him as a CL reserve too. Chris Holder (he's Aussie I know!)? I was saw his PL debut (he was crap in his first ride and I wonder what all the hype was about. Then I saw him have a few superb rides). Even Ben Barker, I remember seeing him at Newport training schools. Or Jordan Frampton, not a big name but I loved watching him for Coventry so much more as I remember seeing him in a second half meeting at Newport. I love seeing Kyle Newman do well, why? Because I saw him as a 15 year old scrap the fence at Somerset to win a race in a second half. Seeing someone who is not a name, and making a mental note of that name so that when they start doing it in the EL is for me, one of the things I enjoy. Harry McGurk is my next, I can't wait to see what he does in the future off the back of an U15 round last year, I loved watching him and his brother Sam. Give me more of these than you Jan Graversens, Danny Maassens and Rafal Konopka who add about as much to British speedway as rain!

With that average the only team signing Zengota will be a desperate one. He's a decent seconds strong, possibly even an ok-ish 3rd heatleader but no way will he get 7.5 with half a season as heat leader!

Hans has already packed up for the winter.

Nobody is only using 3 (and it 5 btw) meeting that he has ridden in the PL. We are using his result in Poland, Denmark and the U21s as well! You are the one who used his 6.6 rolling PL average FFS!

I don't think you'll find anyone believes starman this time

This is the kind of thing all clubs should be doing throughout the winter to keep interest.

AJ commited to Lakeside and Nicholls ot BV. Mick Horton isn't going to know what to do with all these huge transfer fees!

TBF, the crowds at the one off tracks tracks do suggest that the fans prefer these.

You list Newport there but in Newports 15ish years I'll estimate they had NL in 13 of them! I think the biggest issue with NL as a second team is the disrespect it gets. They don't have a regular date, they're fitted in and moved around. If I was Kent (or Coventry) I'd say straight form the off that ANY GP Friday is also NL Friday. I'd also look to do the same on the weeks when there are a couple of GP qualfiers so likely to be missing EL guys. Then I'd run on SWC week. Thats probably all our NL meetings fitted in there. Coventry just seems to have no plan, they had weeks with no speedway at all then end up with numerous double headers and 2 or 3 meetings in a week some September - it's just poor planning.

But Masters has to get Sedgmen and Fricke to agree to to do the same. BSI probably don't give a crap which "second rate" (by that I simply mean not GP rider already) rider gets the place and will happily let a couple of locals ride.

they finished on the same average in Sweden but Vaculik averages 8.9 in Poland to AJs 5.2. While Lindback got the same as both in Sweden and got 9.2 in the Polish second division. If pick Vaculik over AJ 80% of the time these days. While Lindback is an odd one. There not a huge amount between AJ and Lindback but AJ is going backwards now. I think we're all agreed on Hampel and PK though. Both would have been top 8 this year given a full season. It's how I see it anyway.

Youre the one who claimed to see him! Not me! So come on, you have seen him a couple of times, where and when? Or is it I lie? As for judging him on 3 meetings, he's had 5 for Peterborough, the World Under 21s, Danish league and Polish league. You don't have to have seen a rider to know he's any good but you have claimed Kurtz is better. Based on what? You suggest doing homework first, I have. I know he's had a great season abroad. Yet you looked at his rolling PL average and jumped it and now look stupid. You then claimed to have seen him ride, so where and when?

As Anders has been nothing other than great in the UK this season I think its a pretty safe bet that stevebrum hasn't seen him on any track looking ordinary

In the real World Anders Thomson has beat Kurtz every time they have met. But Stevebrum looked at some averages and is now being made to look silly. Rather than admitting he made a judgement based on averages he's continuing to argue and looking silly And I've never claimed to have travelled to see him ride. You have though steve. So so tell, where/when did you see him ride? Peterborough didbt stop him riding. He claimed he was ill so he could travel to the U21s

I agree, there is at least some chance he'll never amount to anything more. But he's already better than Kozza Smith who has been toiling away for 10 years now and has spent more time on his arse than he has winning races!

Anders Thomson has average 9.6 for Peterborugh this season After a last in his very first meeting for Peterborough he's only had 1 3rd (also in meeting 1 and that was in a 4-2 in heat 15) and 2 EFs other than that he's finished 1st or 2nd So his higher than Kurtz PL average, his much higher U21 position than Kurtz and you would prefer Kurtz on 5.5 than Thomson on 4?! All you "experts" commenting on him do realise his GSA is a rolling average than that he's only done a handful of meeting for Peterborough and has been brilliant? Just as he has been in the U21s, Demark and Poland? I also seriously doubt any of you have seen him ride for Peterborough a "couple of times"