I Know I'll Regret This But......

OK so how many times have I fallen foul of the curse of the commentator "Nelson certainly seems to have added some solidity to his early season promise" cue Aussie teenager careering through fourth bend fence when out in front by a mile, you know the sort of thing. So after Saturday's very entertaining challenge against the Panthers I really don't know whether I should keep my thoughts to myself after all in 2005 and 2007 my Speedway Star predictions both had the Rockets finishing second in case I put a jinx on two line ups I really thought would win the title. Any way here goes if things disappear in a its all gone pear shaped direction over the next few months feel free to hurl some abuse but I think with Charlie Gjedde and Anders Mellgren on board we have half a chance of a push for the play offs. Now it could be considered a rash prediction as with Jason Bunyan on his way back from New Zealand and Anders only just put pen to paper we haven't seen our new line up in action yet. The case for my optimism though is as follows: In Charlie we have an out and out number one rider and a thoroughly nice guy as I found on my first interview with him on Saturday, in the two Jason's we have an excellent reserve pairing and lets face it anyone who pays tribute to the great Norman Wisdom with his choice of headgear as young Mr Garrity does deserves respect. I also think the Bowen 747 is looking as sharp as ever his win in Heat 8 on Saturday was a special one and as he commented to me in the pits afterwards "Nobody told me that Michael Jepsen Jesen rides in the Polish Extraleague!" Anders Mellgren looks a good prospect to me and one who was responsible for our demise against Newport last season now one meeting doesn't make a star but I think a lot of us have followed his progress since that performance for the Wasps. So that leaves Jordan who in his own words on Saturday just needs "a bloody bike that will get out of the start!" and Ritchie who has yet got to grips with his new engine. I think both will be fine after a few more meetings hence my glass half full attitude. On another note it was great to see the skipper around on Saturday night Chris is a thoroughly top bloke and I'm hoping when he's a bit more mobile he'll be able to do some co-commentary with us at T2TV.