Berwick ‘buy a brick’ Bandits 2025

[Normski]

5 minutes ago, LisaColette said:

Doesn't Nathan live in the South East like Hagon? So it is okay for one but not the other 🤷‍♀️

Stewart doesn’t hang about with team changes does he? 

He did last season 

[LisaColette]

8 minutes ago, Normski said:

He did last season 

Learnt his lesson then! Although Champ a lot closer this season I think, so not making a change could be difference between making the playoffs or not. 

[szkocjasid]

17 minutes ago, LisaColette said:

Doesn't Nathan live in the South East like Hagon? So it is okay for one but not the other 🤷‍♀️

That's exactly it, one rider is willing to travel because he wants to make a living as a speedway rider. The other is willing to put his career on hold & hope for a more Southern Champ club?

That's how I see it.

I'm not having a go at Ablitt, I wouldn't want to travel from the south coast to Berwick for home matches, but with not many clubs these days, it's a risk sitting out of the Champ & only doing NL/NT when you're a 5 point champ rider.

[Fromafar]

7 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

That's exactly it, one rider is willing to travel because he wants to make a living as a speedway rider. The other is willing to put his career on hold & hope for a more Southern Champ club?

That's how I see it.

I'm not having a go at Ablitt, I wouldn't want to travel from the south coast to Berwick for home matches, but with not many clubs these days, it's a risk sitting out of the Champ & only doing NL/NT when you're a 5 point champ rider.

Ablitt could be sitting out along time on his average and lack of ambition.

[tyler42]

31 minutes ago, LisaColette said:

Doesn't Nathan live in the South East like Hagon? So it is okay for one but not the other 🤷‍♀️

Stewart doesn’t hang about with team changes does he? 

I think the difference being Ablett works and so does his dad. As for Hagon, he don't work and his dad can take as much time off as he want as he his the boss 

[tyler42]

2 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Ablitt could be sitting out along time on his average and lack of ambition.

Yes you could be right. Unfortunately for the riders. The days when there would be a couple of tracks in your area have gone. Now if they want to ride. then they have to be prepared to ride anywhere. If you come from a more humbler background, then its not so easy. Not lack of ambition more like lack of finances I would imagine. 

[Fromafar]

1 hour ago, tyler42 said:

Yes you could be right. Unfortunately for the riders. The days when there would be a couple of tracks in your area have gone. Now if they want to ride. then they have to be prepared to ride anywhere. If you come from a more humbler background, then its not so easy. Not lack of ambition more like lack of finances I would imagine. 

IMO at Nathan’s level you have to jump at the chance if it comes along.Nothing against the lad and wish him luck.BUT.

[Catch Me If You Can]

On 4/29/2025 at 7:39 PM, screm said:

Jack Smith is the epitome of a journeyman rider, seen as a last gasp or short term signing, as is the case in this situation. However it is clear the Bastian Borke is a mile away from sufficient race fitness that justifies his team place at present and I back the clubs decision to drop Borke be it temporarily or not as the situation could not continue. Though it does seem the club and rider have differing views on the events of the last day or so.

Not sure if Smith is the answer though.

From looking a good team pre season Berwick are now it seems struggling 

Borke was only a shadow of himself as we know,  Hagon looks well down on confidence and and Hume still to fully get going 

Hopefully Cook Kemp and Kildemand can carry forward

 

[King Jamie]

It's a pity the numbers game didn't allow Monarchs to replace Max James with Jack Smith.

Would've been really cool having Jack and Victor at reserve.

[TheScotsman]

I'll get yer coat.

[crescent girl]

Four R.E.D Bandits (Drew, Cookie, Danyon & Sam) contesting tonight's British semi-final at Leicester......

Top six go through to British Final on Monday week.

[TheWellBehavedWorrall]

A frustrating start to the season for the Bandits.

Borke will benefit from a period of rest - much like I believe Boughen needs following his crash at Kings Lynn - but between that, Schlein withdrawing early, the uncertainty surrounding Cook and Kildemand’s injury, it’s been a mad start to the season.

Sam Hagon has a lot of potential, but being forced into the main body of the team so early can go one of two ways. Hopefully it’s a positive move for the Bandits.

[Gambo95]

On 4/29/2025 at 6:35 PM, Mgas said:

Going against the grain here but I’m disappointed with the club. Reply’s to comments on other media suggest it was done in the best interest of Borke while Borke indicates otherwise. I fear the 28 day recovery sabbatical is a soft way of saying we have canned a fan favourite, a rider who was severely injured in service to the club and a rider I believe deserves more than two meetings to prove their worth. Hodder got a full season of flipping his bike at the gate and finishing half a lap behind. I believe Borke deserves more from Berwick. As a fan, the  Club, the promotion and Smith will get my full support but this definitely leaves a bitter after taste.

Just been reading Lawrence Rodgers Bulls piece on the Birmingham website.

Could Edinburgh not just remove Max from their team and use other conference league riders in the meantime?

This would have saved Max from getting a 28 day ban but would have possibly stopped Edinburgh from using guests from other teams.

Obviously Edinburgh stronger with guests from other teams so Max is banned from racing for the Bulls (not just Berwick doing what's best for their team).

Edited May 2, 2025 by Gambo95
Name added.

[Fromafar]

On 4/29/2025 at 6:35 PM, Mgas said:

Going against the grain here but I’m disappointed with the club. Reply’s to comments on other media suggest it was done in the best interest of Borke while Borke indicates otherwise. I fear the 28 day recovery sabbatical is a soft way of saying we have canned a fan favourite, a rider who was severely injured in service to the club and a rider I believe deserves more than two meetings to prove their worth. Hodder got a full season of flipping his bike at the gate and finishing half a lap behind. I believe Borke deserves more from Berwick. As a fan, the  Club, the promotion and Smith will get my full support but this definitely leaves a bitter after taste.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s short season can’t afford too carry riders who look well of the pace.He certainly was struggling whether it was confidence or injury.

[szkocjasid]

14 hours ago, Gambo95 said:

Just been reading Lawrence Rodgers Bulls piece on the Birmingham website.

Could Edinburgh not just remove Max from their team and use other conference league riders in the meantime?

This would have saved Max from getting a 28 day ban but would have possibly stopped Edinburgh from using guests from other teams.

Obviously Edinburgh stronger with guests from other teams so Max is banned from racing for the Bulls (not just Berwick doing what's best for their team).

Edinburgh can't remove Max from their team till they have a replacement, even if they found one after a week, I assume Max would still have to sit out his 28 day ban.

Maybe the rules are to blame for this more than Edinburgh.

As for Berwick, I think 2 matches isn't enough for any rider to prove their worth, unless Bastien said he was struggling & wanted to be replaced, think Berwick should've given him longer in the team.

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

8 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

Edinburgh can't remove Max from their team till they have a replacement, even if they found one after a week, I assume Max would still have to sit out his 28 day ban.

Maybe the rules are to blame for this more than Edinburgh.

As for Berwick, I think 2 matches isn't enough for any rider to prove their worth, unless Bastien said he was struggling & wanted to be replaced, think Berwick should've given him longer in the team.

Did you see either of Bastian’s meetings, or see him walking about the town, or at the gym, or in the pits? 

The lad has one working leg for god sake, he should still be on crutches.

[Mgas]

1 hour ago, allthegearbutnaeidea said:

Did you see either of Bastian’s meetings, or see him walking about the town, or at the gym, or in the pits? 

The lad has one working leg for god sake, he should still be on crutches.

He did look like he was struggling walking at p+p and the first meeting but was walking absolutely fine at the last meeting. I watched the riders doing the track walk and he wasn’t even limping. 

[Hamster00]

13 minutes ago, Mgas said:

He did look like he was struggling walking at p+p and the first meeting but was walking absolutely fine at the last meeting. I watched the riders doing the track walk and he wasn’t even limping. 

Because his leg is being held together by various braces on a daily basis.

This is the right decision, he clearly isn’t fit enough yet.

The problem could/should have been avoided by not signing him back in the first place until we knew for sure his fitness was not a concern, had we done that we’d be avoiding all of this carry on.

[Fromafar]

44 minutes ago, Mgas said:

He did look like he was struggling walking at p+p and the first meeting but was walking absolutely fine at the last meeting. I watched the riders doing the track walk and he wasn’t even limping. 

He was struggling on track though.

[emilali]

If Berwick have any ideas of doing anything this season Hagon needs to be moved on now.