Luke Ruddick’s ‘head not right’ to race for Edinburgh Monarchs

Edinburgh Monarchs’ injury crisis has deepened after reserve Luke Ruddick was ruled out of home and away league fixtures this week against Redcar Bears.

Ruddick crashed at home to Glasgow Tigers last month and suffered concussion. He underwent the mandatory nine-day lay-off to recover but, after a practice at his National League side Leicester Cubs at the weekend, he was deemed unable to ride and now won’t face the Bears this weekend.

Despite Monarchs’ match at Berwick Bandits falling victim to the weather, Ruddick was intending to take part but, according to Monarchs team manager Alex Harkess, he “was clearly not fit to ride”.

Ruddick refused to comment except to say his head “wasn’t right” and Monarchs will seek a replacement for him for the Redcar fixtures.

It’s a fresh blow to Monarchs, who already have Josh Pickering and Justin Sedgmen sidelined, but Harkess added that Pickering, who suffered shoulder damage following a heavy crash at Birmingam, was intending to “give it a go” against Redcar at Armadale on Friday.

Harkess concluded: “It’s important that we get some momentum going because our season hasn’t really started with regard to league matches. We are midway through June and things have not got going at all. We have raced just two league matches and Redcar haven’t even raced any, It’s all a bit ridiculous, really.

“So it’s really essential that we take something from our matches with Redcar to give us a bit of a boost.”

Weather permitting, Swedish rider Victor Palovarra will finally make his Monarchs debut after he was signed as an injury replacement for Sedgmen.