szkocjasid

One thing I don't understand about the RS qualifications are Mountain turned 25 last season & Hume turned 26. This year they have both "graduated" due to their different ages! Surely the age cut-off has to be the same for both riders?

The average cut-offs for RS was 5.5 in Prem & 6.5 in Champ. I assuming they only use Prem aves now as the Champ lasted ONE year of the FIVE year plan, which would mean Flint is clearly still a RS. If that 5.5 average rule is still in place, then a rider could average up to 5.49 and stay a RS till he was 25/26?

However if you sign Hume on 3.07 & he puts a point on his ave, that still below the 4.27 available so not good team building. I'd totally go for Hume or Mountain if I brought them up to the points limit!

Simple solution, put him at number 3 at home & 4 away, won't meet a RS lol!

Wolves team isn't built for Cook to get 6/7 rides a match imo. Top 5 are far stronger than the reserves. Going by Champ averages it should be Flint getting 5 rides a match & Cook 3.

Looking at the teams signed so far, I think the play-offs will make the season far more dull. Leicester, Oxford & Workington look so strong it's not inconceivable that they could win all their matches (except when they race each other), so it's likely they'll clinch their play-off spots very early on & then have a wait to ride in the matches that actually matter! That's the downside of the play-offs, could end up being, six matches between 3 awesome teams just to pick play-off opponents. Followed by 4 matches between them to decide the title?

I'm not, almost certain to up his average imo

Yeah, I see so many people put Cook down on a 4.00 ave, a little let peeve of mine - I wanna scream IT'S 4.06 lol!

On paper Wolves look good, 5 heat leaders & the strongest RS. Although you can't guarantee the top 5 will score well every week, which is what cost them in the play-offs.

Not true Lasse Fredricksen came in on an assessed 5.00 ave but dropped to 4.00 (the minimum figure for foreigners).

Did he ever get a shot at reserve though? My memory says he was always a second string, so could score more at 6/7?

Indeed, I look at the forum to see people's views on Speedway. Sadly have to look through dozens of posts to find the few actually talking about Poole 2023!

Could make the minimum ave for foreigners 5.00?

Totally agree with this rule though, if you can sign a Brit on a 2.5 ave & a foreigner of the same standard on a 4.0 ave I know what i'd go for!

However there likely to be less matches this year in both leagues. Dan T really should be in the Champ but if the promoters prefer to use foreigners over improving Brits, what can he do?

I agree ZK isn't heat leader material, but that's no reason not to sign him. Plymouth looking for a strong reserve with 4 points available, Keleher looks one of the best options out there!

I guess in hindsight I would say he was a "shrewd" signing last year as he out over 2 points on his assessed average. Trouble is there's now less improvement likely in his average for 2023. He'll be a good signing for as long as he stays riding in the UK for sure.

What about a team that has a 2 or 3 point foreigner in the team on a 4.00 average, but has a stronger Brit on a 3.75 average at reserve? Is that not much the same?

Personally I wouldn't call Basso a "major signing" I was however very pleased when he was announced as it Confirmed Panthers would be racing in 2023.

Anyone can say it's gonna be a huge year though! Obviously a club owner isn't going to say expect a poor season, but look at Birmingham last year said they were building a play-off calibre side & finished bottom. Have made promises 2023s team will be play-off chasing & most agree it's the weakest team out there.

But how does having an average used for team building but not team positioning "make it right"?

The 25% reduction works in the same way as any 2.5% reduction ever did - it's a Brits average to start the season on. As soon as they ride 1 match there average will be their rolling average counting 2022 & 2023 matches. From your example it would be number 2 (I've heard nothing official to say it's back to 20 match rolling aves in 2023)

It is much simpler to use just one average, meaning Brennan's team building ave would put him at reserve. I cannot personally remember any situation where the 2.5% reduction has led to a Brit with a lower average being ranked higher than a foreigner with an actual average for team positions.

I don't know where the talk of Sayfutdinov or Laguta riding in Britain is coming from, but I thought it was clear they can race in Poland as they have Polish passports, but cannot ride in the GPs or in any other countries GB / SWE etc.

I'm not sure I believe this team building vs rider average malarky & fully expect to see Brennan beginning the season at reserve.