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Probably agree they won't make the play-offs, not that I think they're a bad team (be a boring forum if we all agreed lol). I could see them finishing 8th, but only a couple of points off 4th, think it could be that close.

Poole: clearly not a strong as last year, could struggle at reserve till Cairns signs, still expect them to make the top 4, with Rowe a big improver. Oxford: I really think they've got lots of potential in the reserve berths, which could see Gilkes & Knudsen ending up there, which is a power packed bottom end. Obvious problem is 2nd & 3rd heat leaders, but bottom end could cover that, play-off contenders. Scunthorpe: as I said above see improvement from ZK, so expect a strong reserve pairing & plenty of home wins. Not favourites for a top 4 spot, but in contention. Workington: far better reserves than last year, top 3 awesome at home. If Zischke & Vuolas can improve their away form, great chance of a top 4 spot. Also a big season for Bowes & Etheridge, if they can do enough to keep Foord & Hook at reserve, looks very solid. Glasgow: Must be the best top 5 in the league, but also the weakest reserve pairing by far. Dan T, Howarth (if he's at 3) should be pushing 8 point averages. Flint & Boughen should be putting a point on their averages. Just becomes a question of can they win the league with 5 riders scoring the baulk of the points? Redcar: best heat leader trio by far, King should add something to his average (if at 3). Really impressed by Jason Edwards, so an awesome top 4 in truth. Question marks over the bottom 3, Mulford has been a slow improver, but now in the top 5, think it could be a struggle for him to maintain his average. Reserves only slightly better than Glasgow's. The top 4 makes it look at play-offs side though. Edinburgh: lacking a top rider, but have a very solid 1-6 & the best 2 pointer imo. Not favourites, but see no reason why they can't mount a play-off challenge. Plymouth: look the weakest team so far, Klindt's average will drop, but he's a good number one. Even weaker heat leaders than Oxford. Fredriksen should do well, which could leave Bowtell as a potent reserve. But this looks a wooden spoon side to me. Berwick: much better looking team than in recent years, looks a strong top 2, Kemp looked good at the end of last year & should carry on that improvement. Borke is tough to call, was very good at number 7, but now starts in the top 5 after coming back from a serious injury. Whoever is at reserve with Wood should do well there though. There's not a lot between the teams so tough to pick a finishing order, probably say: Redcar & Glasgow top 2. Poole bound to make the top 4, they always do. Maybe Oxford, Workington & Berwick favourites for 4th. Scunthorpe, Edinburgh in with a chance. Plymouth rank outsiders.

Quite a few don't rate Scunthorpe, but I think they a decent looking side. I'm expecting big things from Zaine Kennedy, pushing Luke Harrison back to reserve, where he should then add to his average. So if Declan Kennedy can simply keep his assessed average, then they'll have one of the strongest reserve pairings in the league. Might not be great away, but the top 4 are all capable of winning multiple races at home.

Bit strange to say Edinburgh will struggle unless one of their new signings drops his average lol! Assuming you're meaning if he drops to 4.00, allows a change, then gets back to his starting 6.00 average? Otherwise how would one rider dropping points to be gained by another strengthen the team? Mind you, if he can average 8.00, that's the 2 point advantage without the need for another change.

I think this is one of the most open seasons for a long time. I can't see an outright favourite, there's 8 clubs who can challenge for the play-offs, only Plymouth look out of it & massive favourites for the wooden spoon. Every other team can be positive of their chances for the coming season.

If they stay on a 2.00 average & impress, then yes they'll be putting themselves in the shop window. However if they do a Foord & get a 4.00 average, all of a sudden made themselves hard to sign.

That is a really good point. Jack Smith could easily put out a similar post calling out Simon Lambert.

With there being 6 NL teams & only 5 NT teams, you'd think there's no reason not to allow Mildenhall to join in?

A couple of thoughts about comments from Simon Lambert about the Scunthorpe NDL team (I'll ignore Sheffield as they seem to be ignoring the team so far lol). http://scunthorpe-speedway.com/?p=18241 “We were let down by Vinnie Foord, who agreed to ride for us. Once you’ve done a deal with a rider, you don’t expect them to change their mind, but Vinnie did, which was disappointing" David Norris then replied on the post with "Apologies Simon Lambert regarding Vinnie Foord Please let it known it wasn't Vinnies fault, he just wants to ride speedway bikes, but it was my call as he already had other commitments" I'm gonna have to disagree with Norris here, wether he's Vinnie's manager or advisor or whatever, ultimately it's Vinnie's choice if he signs for Scunthorpe whether Norris agreed with it or not? Foord has the right to change his mind, but if he's made that decision, don't think Norris should take them blame, he can advise him all he likes, but Vinnie's gotta decide what's best for him. Lambert then says: “Another rider we were very much considering was Harry Fletcher, but we ended up with a side where we didn’t need a third rider on a 3.00 average.” So while they didn't need a third 3.00 rider, doesn't mean they couldn't have built a team a couple of points under the limit? I guess they want to build a team that can be competitive, while still developing riders?

What you've said makes far more sense, I couldn't understand why it was unfortunate if he'd turned down Kent twice. It's a real shame for him. If I was a Speedway rider, I'd want a signed contract before turning down another club.

As soon as MPT got a new Prem average he'd definitely sign for a Champ side on his new converted figure. It may even be sooner than that, it could be ride ONE match & he uses his converted ave. Then as soon as he rode for a Champ side, his converted ave would change back to his rolling Champ ave.

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest, if there's a low points limit, then there's always a chance a heat leader will be left without a team spot.

No 1) I thought Rew made the decision to leave & go elsewhere, so not much Witches can do about that. 2) I think Ipswich look the strongest team by far & should be massive favourites for the league already. Even if Rew outscores King & Ellis, still favour the Witches over any other team. 3) for Birmingham's sake I really hope he does have a good season

Maybe he thought he had a team place elsewhere that didn't come off? Just felt an odd choice of wording to me?

How is it unfortunate to not have a team spot, when he declined them?

I agree that would be better. Maybe the agreement should have been to sign unattached riders, if Poole didn't agree, race without them? Although part of me feels in a league where plentiful guests are used what harm is a couple more?

You mean Poole I'm guessing? Personally I see no major reason for them to be invited and see nothing wrong with a team getting a bye. But also not bothered that they were invited in either. I guess I feel there have been far more "farcical" decisions made in recent seasons (GP wildcards based on Nationality or Premiership play-offs picked for "commercial" reasons) so this seems very tame in comparison.

Don't see how it's farcical? Both riders could guest for Sheffield if they have injuries during the season. They could even potentially knock their own teams out of play-off contention (though not likely) by guesting for their rivals. At least this way, their performances won't effect Ipswich & Belle Vue. Out of curiosity, what would you prefer, using guests from outwith the Premiership, signing riders from abroad for the KOC, running with their Championship side, or just having a 7 team KOC?

Kent have the best heat leader trio in the Trophy. What will the 3.00 riders do? Plenty of new 3.00 riders in both competitions, be interesting to see how they go.

I don't think the Plymouth track would suit Jack Smith. He had a very brief spell for Plymouth in 2021, failing to score from 3 meetings. If my memory is correct he then wanted to leave. Quick look at his Championship scores at Plymouth: 0 (3) 0 (3) 2+1 (4) 0 (3) If Plymouth are focussing on home wins, I'd go for Ben Trigger. Probably take Jack Smith over Trigger at most other tracks in the league. Another option could be Adam Roynon?

Been meaning to look at the rising star options based on averages, fairest way to do it is using Championship averages - they all have one. Leon Flint (6.85) picked 4th Jordan Jenkins (6.37) picked 3rd Jason Edwards (6.34) picked 1st Joe Thompson (5.77) not picked Dan Gilkes (5.21) not picked Ashton Boughen (5.16) picked 2nd Nathan Ablitt (5.04) not picked Sam Hagon (4.85) protected by Leicester Luke Harrison (4.43) not picked Jake Mulford (4.38) protected by Belle Vue Vinnie Foord (4.00) not picked Luke Killeen (3.95) protected by Oxford Kinda strange reading, the 3 weakest "rising stars" were all protected by their clubs, would the clubs have been better off trying for someone stronger? Killeen is obviously very promising but he's actually got a lower average than 5 riders not signed as a RS. Going by the publicised rules I think, "why wouldn't they have gone for Jenkins" as he's in their Championship team. Someone will no doubt say "rider's ride where they want" although I read Ipswich comment they "had to wait" to see if someone else picked Jenkins first! I'm sure I read Luke Harrison say he wasn't ready for an RS berth, which is interesting as he has a higher average than two riders who do. Not saying I disagree with him, he has plenty of time to step up. Nathan Ablitt's is a strange situation, not considered good enough to be a RS, yet his average was too high to be Sheffield's number 6. How can you be too good to be a number 6, but not strong enough to be a number 7? Same situation with Gilkes last year, could ride at 7 but not 6 for Sheffield (Edwards needed to be at 6). Anyway the list shows there should be good quality replacements if guests are needed this year.

For a Leicester point of view, based on his Championship average I'd have looked towards Joe T again. Maybe he'll get another chance of Hagon doesn't improve?

Depends on the reasoning for the RS, to decide it "hasn't worked". The system has given many young / inexperienced Brits opportunities in the top flight, this alone should save money on flights if foreign riders were used at reserve instead. Also just because a rider hasn't moved out of the RS system, doesn't mean he hasn't improved as a rider. Look at the Championship averages of Jenkins & Edwards, they keep improving - has racing in the Prem helped cause that? Look at Kemp & Mountain, riders who got dropped not because of poor form but to try & improve the team, this would happen far more without the RS scheme. Maybe that's the only negative I can come up with, as riders like Kemp & Mountain are considered "number 7 quality" so miss out on Premiership team spots. Even when Dan T got dropped, without the RS scheme, he may not have got picked up by Ipswich, would he have improved so quickly without gaining another spot? I know some people will say "if you're good enough you'll get a chance anyway" but look at Dan T in the Champ in 2023. No club wanted him at the start of the season, Birmingham signed then dropped him, till he finally got a spot with Plymouth. This is the sort of thing that could easily happen more often in the Prem without the RS scheme. Every year there will be riders at the bottom of a teams average (below 4) no matter what system is used, I just think it's better to have Brits in these positions. I had a quick look at the last season before "rising stars" 2019 to see who ended up at number 7. One promising Aussie (Ryan Douglas), two young Brits (Perks & Sarjeant), three riders who didn't average over the minimum 4.00 (Porsing, Wells, Ostergaard) and one who never returned to ride over here (Berge) so if we got rid of the RS system and ended up back as it was then, is that any better? Ps sorry for the rambling, I find it hard to condense my thoughts down lol!

Klindt should be one of the top riders in the league, but I can only see his average dropping. Plymouth looking like wooden spoonists to me. Hopefully they can be competitive at home though.

Workington haven't said a single thing publically about not entering the NDT. All I have read is that they were in, now they are out. Anyone who doesn't read the forum, could well think the same thing "why did they enter in the first place?"