Poole 2026

[Steve Shovlar]

With only one meeting left for Poole this season, eyes are now turning to next season. If the league remains the same, then Pirates team is basically sorted.

Lawson, Cook, Rowe, Bailey, Cairns, Rushen. Leaving one spot for a second string. Bailey, Rushen and Cairns will have very limited experience between them meaning we could be very vulnerable at times but a mixture of experience and youngsters could make for a very exciting team.

Thoughts?

 

[ASpeedwayfan]

1 hour ago, Steve Shovlar said:

With only one meeting left for Poole this season, eyes are now turning to next season. If the league remains the same, then Pirates team is basically sorted.

Lawson, Cook, Rowe, Bailey, Cairns, Rushen. Leaving one spot for a second string. Bailey, Rushen and Cairns will have very limited experience between them meaning we could be very vulnerable at times but a mixture of experience and youngsters could make for a very exciting team.

Thoughts?

 

Would be happy with them 6, if we could Pry Zischke away from Workington that would be great! Shame Lewi doesn’t fit, Toby does but that would leave us a point under the limit. 

[ASpeedwayfan]

4 minutes ago, ASpeedwayfan said:

Would be happy with them 6, if we could Pry Zischke away from Workington that would be great! Shame Lewi doesn’t fit, Toby does but that would leave us a point under the limit. 

Riders that would fit in to that last spot. 
Joe Thompson 

Tate Zischke 

Fraiser Bowes 

Tobias Thompson 

Zane Kennedy 

Jye Etheridge

Lasse Fredriksen

Francis Gusts

Mitch Mcdirmid  

Luke Killeen 

A new 5 point rider 

 

personally id be looking at Tate, Gusts, McDirmid from that list. 

[lewy]

Zach cook will not be at Poole next season  not doing championship. 

[ASpeedwayfan]

26 minutes ago, lewy said:

Zach cook will not be at Poole next season  not doing championship. 

Shame if true, his 7.34 avg would only go up. But the time might be right for him to take a plunge into Poland and Sweden whilst doing the premiership.
would open the door to a big signing 

[Fromafar]

44 minutes ago, ASpeedwayfan said:

Riders that would fit in to that last spot. 
Joe Thompson 

Tate Zischke 

Fraiser Bowes 

Tobias Thompson 

Zane Kennedy 

Jye Etheridge

Lasse Fredriksen

Francis Gusts

Mitch Mcdirmid  

Luke Killeen 

A new 5 point rider 

 

personally id be looking at Tate, Gusts, McDirmid from that list. 

Gusts would never be there.

[Starman2006]

2 hours ago, Steve Shovlar said:

With only one meeting left for Poole this season, eyes are now turning to next season. If the league remains the same, then Pirates team is basically sorted.

Lawson, Cook, Rowe, Bailey, Cairns, Rushen. Leaving one spot for a second string. Bailey, Rushen and Cairns will have very limited experience between them meaning we could be very vulnerable at times but a mixture of experience and youngsters could make for a very exciting team.

Thoughts?

 

I cant see how the league can remain the same ,with  only 5 pos 6 in the so called top league you cannot run a league like that.
For me it has to be one league 6 riders and two 2 pointers at the back. Building ave something like 37 i would guess .
Any top boys left will go and ply their trades in poland and sweden. So what you will be left with is in effect good second string riders
as per how the top league was, and a bunch of reserves and two pointers.

[foreverblue]

23 minutes ago, Starman2006 said:

I cant see how the league can remain the same ,with  only 5 pos 6 in the so called top league you cannot run a league like that.
For me it has to be one league 6 riders and two 2 pointers at the back. Building ave something like 37 i would guess .
Any top boys left will go and ply their trades in poland and sweden. So what you will be left with is in effect good second string riders
as per how the top league was, and a bunch of reserves and two pointers.

Certainly Harris suggested he had already signed for Glasgow and that it would be two leagues.

[Bitza]

Well this does seem a bit like trimming up for Christmas in June, but hey ho ho ho. 

Is it Connor Bailey being referred to? If so what average would he come in on. I wouldn't fancy relying on three youths, cos you never really know how riders will respond when stepping up. Remember Sam Hagon's switch to No2. 

Also no mention of Kerr, OK not everybodies fav early season. But has come on this season scoring important points in some matches, good for another year at least. 

[old bob at herne bay]

Wishful thinking Mr Shovlar.

Some obtacles ahead.....

points limits for 2026

league structures - a "premier" league with only 5 teams ???

who might want to ride for the poole pirates in 2026 ?  (allegedly another of the Cook boys doesn't anymore) 

 

 

[old bob at herne bay]

53 minutes ago, foreverblue said:

Certainly Harris suggested he had already signed for Glasgow and that it would be two leagues.

yup Premier and National Development  🙂 

[STEVEHOLS54]

3 hours ago, Steve Shovlar said:

With only one meeting left for Poole this season, eyes are now turning to next season. If the league remains the same, then Pirates team is basically sorted.

Lawson, Cook, Rowe, Bailey, Cairns, Rushen. Leaving one spot for a second string. Bailey, Rushen and Cairns will have very limited experience between them meaning we could be very vulnerable at times but a mixture of experience and youngsters could make for a very exciting team.

Thoughts?

 

Zischke would be my ideal signing. After the financial issues at Worky last season. The temp suspension and questions on what they might or might not be able to afford for 2026 could he seek guaranteed regular income from the Ford's at Poole. Was rumoured as on way to Poole back in 2023 before Ward suggested Worky would be a more ideal track to start his UK career. His Aussie accident then intervened which wiped out 23 except limited POL U24 in July then his almost career ending 24 season not long after it started, certainly hampered his development. He sits on an arguably low av IF he rediscovers the form that made Belle Vue sign him.

IF Cook was leaving you would think he would announce at the end of WED Final meeting similar to what Ben did in 2024. That would get it out the way for planning in 2026. Hope not the case though.

I already aired my thoughts on Bowes. Not a fan and gave my reasons on earlier post/s.

Mcdermind has lots of potential at still 17 off back of his first season and may well be Leszno choice of foreign U24 rider in POL EXL for 2026. My fear is if it was with Cairns/Rushen & Bailey we could be exposed where Zischke added with those 3 is a bit more experienced with a full season in Prem/Champ.

[LisaColette]

2 hours ago, Bitza said:

Well this does seem a bit like trimming up for Christmas in June, but hey ho ho ho. 

Is it Connor Bailey being referred to? If so what average would he come in on. I wouldn't fancy relying on three youths, cos you never really know how riders will respond when stepping up. Remember Sam Hagon's switch to No2. 

Also no mention of Kerr, OK not everybodies fav early season. But has come on this season scoring important points in some matches, good for another year at least. 

They mean Beau Bailey. 

[STEVEHOLS54]

34 minutes ago, LisaColette said:

They mean Beau Bailey. 

We sure do. One of the most exciting youngsters around who impressed in SGP3 the last 2 seasons and now on 500CC bikes. Ran Jason Doyle close in a meeting in Germany recently before returning home. Has bags of speed and looks a real racer in the videos I have seen of him. Looks better than Cairns and dare i say it Rushen, but have to remember Cooper is not even 16 until end March 2026. When Rushen learns to gate consistently I can see him beating many a decent rider with his persistence in out battling many riders. Never gives up and battles hard even when out gated. A real racing talent.

Bailey COULD be even better than Zischke and on a 4 due to no European League experience has massive scope to improve. Just like Cairns - Rushen and dare I say it, if we can get him Zischke.

[foreverblue]

48 minutes ago, LisaColette said:

They mean Beau Bailey. 

Certainly rather have Beau Bailey to Tate Zische.

[lewy]

2 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

We sure do. One of the most exciting youngsters around who impressed in SGP3 the last 2 seasons and now on 500CC bikes. Ran Jason Doyle close in a meeting in Germany recently before returning home. Has bags of speed and looks a real racer in the videos I have seen of him. Looks better than Cairns and dare i say it Rushen, but have to remember Cooper is not even 16 until end March 2026. When Rushen learns to gate consistently I can see him beating many a decent rider with his persistence in out battling many riders. Never gives up and battles hard even when out gated. A real racing talent.

Bailey COULD be even better than Zischke and on a 4 due to no European League experience has massive scope to improve. Just like Cairns - Rushen and dare I say it, if we can get him Zischke.

Has he won a state championship in Oz to qualify for a visa

[SteveLyric2]

5 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

We sure do. One of the most exciting youngsters around who impressed in SGP3 the last 2 seasons and now on 500CC bikes. Ran Jason Doyle close in a meeting in Germany recently before returning home. Has bags of speed and looks a real racer in the videos I have seen of him. Looks better than Cairns and dare i say it Rushen, but have to remember Cooper is not even 16 until end March 2026. When Rushen learns to gate consistently I can see him beating many a decent rider with his persistence in out battling many riders. Never gives up and battles hard even when out gated. A real racing talent.

Bailey COULD be even better than Zischke and on a 4 due to no European League experience has massive scope to improve. Just like Cairns - Rushen and dare I say it, if we can get him Zischke.

Zischke is too much of a risk imo.

[Bitza]

While I understand people's enthusiasm for young up and coming talent. But you have to remember that riders who excel at say 16yrs don't inevitably continue to excel in the same way as their careers go on. So when it comes to building a team, getting a balance of proven and potential talent right, is crucial. I'm thinking having two young riders is probably the maximum, any more is a gamble. 

[Pirates Of Poole]

55 minutes ago, lewy said:

Has he won a state championship in Oz to qualify for a visa

Not yet.

 

[Fromafar]

4 hours ago, foreverblue said:

Certainly Harris suggested he had already signed for Glasgow and that it would be two leagues.

That was not the impression he gave,he said he would like to come back if they wanted him.He has already signed one contract already though.