GeneralMelchett

Yes that's fair comments really we dont know everything, my personal choice would have been Rowe but both he and Kemp have been around a few years now and not seemingly made much of a step forward to perhaps something new was / is in order. As for Hume - I feel he did ok last night - he was slung into heat 1 - he was never going to win that, he did superbly beat Bewley in heat 11, annoyingly he surrendered position or was passed by more experienced riders (delete as to your own view) in heat 14. Before the meeting I'd have said 4-5 from him would have been a good score he got 5+1 from his programmed rides.

It was also good to see KK have a good night too - I can’t see how any rider signs or sets up not to do well - mind you he was a big risk in my view given his fee and age etc!! id never be a promoter - damned if you do and certainly damned if you do not!!

Worrall did all that he could in that first home meeting considering he faced Doyle and Emil in 2 of his rides, i made that point at the time. Glad he had a good night tonight

as soon as the original choice was injured I said Anders Rowe for me!

The Witches pair had gated for a 5-1 in heat 14 - it looking good for a lap but Wright got past them both on the 2nd lap then Lidsey put them under pressure and he then he just drifted wide and sort of vanished into the fence! Meeting was lost in heat 12, Emil and Danyon had secured a great 5-1 to make it 32-34, Danyon possibly the ride of the night for me in that one. Then heat 12 King had a stinker of a gate and the 1-5 to the Aces kind of sealed the win. Heat 13 didnt help but i maintain it was lost in heat 12. Solid from BV no individual star although Kurtz did get 3 wins beating Emil, Danny and then both Emil and Doyle, but perhaps Charles Wright with 9+1 was their best on the night.

Weather bright and breezy - and like that all day they say -

Brennan guessed for the Witches last season and proved a popular guest - he scored 7 maybe 8 that night more than with Belle Vue - a lot will depend if Kurtz can beat Doyle and or Emil as he will face one or both in 3 of his 4 programmed heats weather should be ok - hope so drove down to just north of Colchester in heavy rain at times today

wow thats good, well up on last year when I reckon 2k+ was about right, couldn't make tonight but will be there next week!

i am tempted to make my first visit to leicester for this one.

to be fair to Worrall (i dont have really any skin in this game or a view on him) whilst he is paired with Basso he will struggle to get heat wins so the best he can hope for is 2nd or 3rd and to avoid last place. No he isn't a no 3 but thats what you get for taking him on that average and putting Basso at 4. in his rides last night he was 3rd in a home 4-2 (beaten by King) 3rd in a home 4-2 (beaten by Doyle) 4th in a 3-3 (beaten by Sayfutinov and Hume) 2nd in a 3-3 (Beaten by King) With the exception of his third ride I'd say he did Ok and by that I mean losing to Emil was to be expected but maybe not to Hume - he did make a mistake that let them both through. Lets hope NP is ok, last thing anyone needs is their no 1 injured in the opening heat of the opening meeting, I remember it happened to the Witches in 2006 or 2007 when Mark Loram crashed badly.

good to see that having seen many top sports stars in wide range of sports there is nothing quite like seeing the very best show off their skills, I do remember seeing Nicki P ride for Newcastle in his first ever season 98 at Owlerton - you could tell he was going to be good! last season I got to see Doyle at Owlerton and Foxhall and he is a top class rider too. The last time i saw Emil he was landing one on Nicholls in cardiff!

Am planning on coming to this hopefully as well weather permitting! looking forward to seeing Dolye and Emil v Nicki

Crookes me on top of the hill overlooking Owlerton - raining again now - it’s variable and mixed weather for sure edit 4pm almost and sun and clouds we might be ok

Ok belting it down now

Yes totally - last night it really belted it down from about 8.30- midnight and possibly later - 7am it’s bright sunny and windy- perfect track drying weather of course just two weeks ago sheffield (Owlerton probably not) was under 2-3 foot of snow!!!

Ok bright and windy right now - maybe we will be ok - narrow home win for me

Feel the weather will win this one, been raining since early evening and is set to overnight and into tomorrow.

I must admit over the years the production on sky / eurosport often uses multiple camera angles which I am not a fan of - i like to watch my speedway from a fixed camera like I watch a meeting from one place only, very often they change the camera angle just as something interesting is happening!! I am going to pay for a meeting and see what its like and then decide form there!

Witches opening match V the Panthers last year was a poor 40-50 home defeat - they struggled against them at Foxhall all last season needing the super heat or whatever its called to secure the win in the summer - still think a narrow home win this time

rubbish news as the season is about to start! Wishing him (Jack) a speedy recovery - Anders Rowe for me as a replacement!

About 25 years late but maybe better late than never - let’s hope all the aspirations are actually realised!!! Let’s hope he is ‘allowed’ to be effective!

He’s a frustration for sure - there was spell last year when about June - August time he had a great run of form at Foxhall - his playoffs form was disappointing!

100% agree with this - very pleased i would have really felt for him had he not been recalled for 2023

Have to admit when he signed for a Sheffield I was quite keen to see him ride - I actually saw him ride at Owlerton in his Newcastle days over 20 years ago - shame that season never happened!!

People post all shorts of gibberish on twitter, have seen a few posters on here posting very different stuff on there!