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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?"

Then why wouldn't Workington put out a press release the day after the official statement saying they had only entered "provisionally" like King's Lynn? I don't understand why Workington would say nothing & allow themselves to look bad if they are not at fault?

Honestly think this looks a wooden spoon team. Matej Zagar 10.80 Ben Barker 5.83 Joe Thompson 5.63 Alfie Bowtell 5.07 Mitchell Cluff 5.00 Lasse Fredriksen 4.67 Ben Trigger 3.00 Total 40.00 Barker as second heat leader & Joe T jumping from reserve to third heat leader is a big ask. Granted they could have the strongest reserve in the league. Maybe be ok at home if Cluff & Fredriksen can get dialled in quickly, but could see big away defeats coming.

This comment on the SpeedwayGB page doesn't make Workington look good imo. British Speedway chairman Rob Godfrey said: “With the timing of Workington making their decision, it was too late to move one of the (six) teams in the NDL across to the NDT, because they’d all already started or completed building their teams by then. It does make me think, if they weren't happy with the make up of the league, why wait so long to pull out?

No reason why Workington couldn't put a meeting like this on themselves? Maybe other Northern tracks who don't have a Development league team (Glasgow & Berwick) could host a round too?

Not sure how that will work with them having 6 riders (Ben Trigger, Max James, Max Perry, Cooper Rushen, Ryan Ingram & Eli Meadows) already riding in the Trophy? EDIT: just seen they have a separate team for the Trophy, well done Leicester.

That's probably true, but for Sheffield's perspective, should they not act more "involved" even something as simple as sharing the posts from the Scunthorpe page with a heading as simple as "Development league news"?

Given that neither the Championship or Development leagues fixtures have been announced yet, I'm not surprised the U19 match hasn't been put in the fixtures yet. If everything else is announced & still no news, then you can be suspicious lol!

I'm not so sure Klindt would be a good signing, feel sure he'd drop his average, plus doesn't leave a lot for a second reserve, Adam Roynon? I'd suggest MPT & a 6.00 rider would be the better option. Means Cluff starting at reserve (with Fredriksen).

Anyone notice that the Scunthorpe fb page has all the news about the signings for the combined NDL team, but there's nothing on the Sheffield fb page?

In my plan of standalone clubs being in both NL & NT, this would be known at the AGM. Riders would have the choice of 20 matches riding for Kent in both competitions or 10 for a NL club & 10 for a NT club, Eli Meadows at Leicester & Birmingham for example? If Kent finish with Warren & Naylor for example, they'd have 6 riders not racing in the NL (currently), they'd just have to find an alternative to Etherington, who has another league club. Kinda veering away from a Plymouth NT conversation now unfortunately.

I think Bowes has an important part to play for Workington. If he can just keep his assessed average, not easy for a first season in GB, then that keeps Hook & Foord at reserve for longer. As that could be the strongest (if not one of the strongest) reserve pairing in the league. Gives Workington real strength at the bottom end.

There's no incentive for them to race in the development leagues only, as there's so few fixtures, seems a lot of work to run a stadium for only 4 or 5 home fixtures. I'd suggest the correct league is the one in which the promoters can make the most / lose the least money in.

Unfortunately when it comes to the last part, these young riders may choose to go elsewhere (Zach Cook, Dan Thompson).

I'd have to disagree with the first part, if the fans know the team, then it's their choice to attend or not, they ain't getting ripped off, as if they don't think it's value for money can simply choose not to go.

As much criticism as Plymouth get for not replacing missing heat leaders (Kennett & Covatti) how many other Championship clubs have been able to replace injured heat leaders in recent years? While there haven't been a great many long term injuries, clubs have struggled to even sign riders willing to ride on a temporary basis: Berwick (Schlein), Birmingham (Auty), Edinburgh (Pickering), Redcar (Riss / King) & Workington (Zischke) have all ran with guests & r/r in the last few of years rather than finding a temporary or permanent replacement. Berwick couldn't even find a replacement for a reserve, happy to run with guests for Borke. Only heat leader I can remember being replaced is Steve Worrall & that was by someone with a second string average. So while it's certainly not ideal Plymouth running two out of the last three seasons missing a number one, before people keep criticising them, think to yourself - would other clubs have done any different?

Probably because they wanted to get stronger in heats 2,8,12,&14? As much as I want Cook as part of a strong top 4, I would not have let go of Zischke or Vuolas, so could've ended up with a team like: Troy Batchelor 8.46 Craig Cook 8.42 Tate Zischke 6.96 Annti Vuolas 6.40 Vinnie Foord 3.90 Jack Smith 3.64 Sam McGurk 2.00 Total 39.78 So would Cook / Smith / McGurk score more than Bowes / Etheridge / Hook? I definitely wouldn't want a team with Foord starting in the top 5, I would not drop Zischke or Vuolas under any circumstances, so to create the strongest Workington team, it means either Cook or Batchelor had to go!

I'm just going by what I read on Twitter, which said they had 6.18 available. But as he has a NL average from 2023, assumed they'll use that?

Adam Roynon 8.84 Luke Harrison 7.66 Remaining 6.18 Luke Muff 4.83 Mickie Simpson 4.49 Jamie Etherington 3.00 Harrison Rogers 3.00 Total 38.00 Options for the last spot? Luke Crang, Sam McGurk, Alex Spooner, Elliott Kelly or maybe bring back Kean Dicken?

I guess I don't see the need for an average reduction whatsoever, if he can't reach his old 6.59 average in a far weaker league, why bring him back? Apart from attempting to win the trophy that is. If he's a potential future Championship rider, good for Birmingham & Oxford giving him a team berth, just don't understand the reason for giving him a new average.

I do have to wonder why the need to change his average? Normally you want riders average to be realistic to be fair to all teams, but as it's a development league, does it matter? Let's say Birmingham feels his average was too high & makes it harder for them to win, so what? Obviously you should try & win the league / trophy but should clubs have riders averages reassessed on order to do this?