ZODIAK

Well if Hawkins is the new team manager then that will be the ultimate slap in the face for Phil Hilton!

Well that's my 2+2 adding up to 48 then!

"New" sponsor, or same sponsor though?

You've missed off Tungate

Still a couple of issues to resolve. One being confirmation of the new (old) team manager, and the other is the main team sponsor issue. Sackers' three year deal has expired. On the team front I'm also pretty happy with it. The purchase of Castagna is an interesting one for me I wonder if it was Chris Louis that pursued his contract, or whether it was a case of if you want to use our asset you'll have to buy him from Sheffield's end.

If you were expecting a Glasgow type rejuvenation then naturally you'll feel disappointed as it isn't that (this year at least). But you need to forget the "have a look at what you could have won" Jim Bowen moment and not be too down on what you've ended up with. It's not a bad team at all and I genuinely think if it stays healthy you'll be in the thick of the play off action. Cameron Heeps has so much potential but the kid has been so so unlucky with three wrist breaks that have definitely hampered his progress. If he has an injury free run for a change, you'll be on to a winner there. Those reserves will win you meetings.

It is, and it's very difficult to look beyond that top four, which looks mouthwatering!

Now a few more teams are taking shape, got to be honest the more I look at this Rye team the more I like it so not sure I share the pessimism. Kennett is one of the top three number ones in the league along with Stead and King and you'll get double figure from him just about everywhere. The 2-5 may look as though it lacks a bit of punch to support him, but all are capapble of chipping in with solid if unspectular scores and I mean all of them. What they may lack in the 2-5 they make up in the reserves. On paper you'll probably have the strongest and you could realistically see any of Klindt, Heeps or Lanham at reserve which is ridiculous. All three would clean up at reserve. Klindt doesn't seem a popular choice and he is very inconsistent I agree. Sometimes he looks dreadful, but every now and again when he has his gating boots on and his head in the right place, he can go through the card and look unbeatable. When he has one of those days, Rye will win meetings that nobody will give them a chance in pre meeting. Looks a play off side to me.

Is it though? Or is his current average his level? We have a few on the Ipswich thread that for some reason seem to love him, but I remain unconvinced. I'm not saying he's a bad rider because he isn't, but I'm not convinced he continues to be on a "bargain" average after his average has now dropped two season's running. He had a real purple patch and a breakthrough year in 2013 with Newcastle, but then flopped at Ipswich in 2014 where he shed nearly a point and a half off his average which led the Somerset mob to declare they'd signed him on that "bargain" average this year. But he also shed another half a point again and continues to go backwards. So is he still on a bargain average? or will his average continue in the same direction it has for the last couple of season's? Having said that, the way Glasgow have built their team Worrall is likely to have three riders ahead of him this season and I'm not sure anyone else will have a better fourth rider! Long tail which goes with the territory when you build in this way, but still the team to beat and will no doubt start favourites.

Let's not judge a rider on a meaningless end of season individual filler eh?

Risky IMO. 10.41 average he's going to have to be as good as ever if Sheffield will be successful and there's no telling how much this latest injury has taken out of him. If he does though, then awesome top two but again is it wise spending almost 19 points on just two riders? That's gonna leave a hell of a tail..

Hope not. No problem Tungate joining Somerset, but just Like Heeps a season or two away will do them both good but I'd still like them both kept as assets.

I think Scunny will suit him if that's the case. A season there could do him the world of good.

Heeps has been so unfortunate with injury. He came over to the UK with a big reputation, had an honours list as long as your arm at youth level and blew everyone away at NL level at 15 years of age. But he's been so unlucky to have broken his left wrist twice, and his right wrist once which has definitely stunted his progression. He first broke his wrist riding for Mildenhall at the end of his first season, then broke the same wrist in 2013 which needed two separate operations which I believe still causes him problems to this day. And then he broke his other wrist last season! Understandably his confidence also took a hammering but there's no doubt the lad has talent he just needs to get 100% fit, and remain fit for a consistent period. Wherever he ends up, I hope he has an injury free season, gets his confidence and career back on an upward curve and then returns to Foxhall in 2017.

And he rode at 3 for a couple of months before that (Is riding at 5 any tougher than 3?) so Covatti was only riding at reserve a matter of weeks at the start of the season. BCD has had a bit of a mare there. I'm not sure I'd have Covatti at 5 next season. I'd be tempted to put Lewis Kerr there and have Covatti and Risager at 3&4. Risager likes the inside and Covatti the outside so they could be a good little partnership in the engine room.

“It was such a tough decision for Phil and myself to make, but after lengthy discussions we felt that after a real baptism of fire this season and an almost completely new team for 2016, it was the right thing. I really hope that this is not the last we see of Phil in an official role at the club. He gave 100% to the job throughout a very difficult season and on so many occasions showed just how much passion he has for the sport and in particular this club.” http://www.ipswichwitches.co/index.php/component/content/article/1019-witches-name-full-lineup-for-next-year Nothing has been said about either Heeps or Tungate in today's paper Baldy.

LOL nice try!

Nah not having that. Covatti moved up from reserve after the first set of averages. Rode at number 3 from May until June and then rode at 5 from July until October and was still flying. If anything, he got better as the season wore on.

A bit strange that Sheffield let Paco go no? Even stranger to take him on as an asset and then sell him so quickly. Maybe that was the only way they'd release him? It's always a risk signing riders on assessed averages as they rarely hit those initial averages. But once you get them on "real" averages you then reap the benefits. That's what makes the release of Castagna a little strange to me. A no brainier on 3.33 surely? Feel a bit for Lewis Rose as it's safe now to assume he was in the intended line up until issues came about with Nielsen. Rose it seems has been the unfortunate one to make way in a slight reshuffle so hopefully he gets himself fixed up elsewhere for next season. I'm sure he will.

This is what I want to see more of! Every year we seemed to have been favourites and had "The best team on paper" that we have a cupboard full of paper trophies. Would be nice to actually win one made out of actual silver so let's try the underdog route for a change!

Pete Simmons is nailed on to return. The clues were there a couple of weeks ago. Both Simmons and the official Witches twitter account were following each other whilst he was team manager, then both "unfollowed" when he left, and both have now followed again at the same time a fortnight ago. When a question was put to Pete that his twitter bio of "EX" Ipswich team manager was innacurate now, he favourited the tweet. Could be 2+2 making 46, but I doubt it. By the way, great to have a Castagna in the team again for nostalgia purposes!

That for me is a bit better than the proposed original team. Sargeant is probably a better bet in the 1-5 than Stefan Nielsen, and I don't think Castagna is a poorer replacement than Lewis Rose He'll up 3.33 at reserve no danger. The top 4 is sound. They'll score enough between them to keep us competitive in just about every meeting.

Hardly as Louis was screaming poverty a couple of weeks ago! Which also makes me think maybe it's a newbie as I'm not sure we'd be spending money buying someone's contract from another club.

That was my initial thought too. Possibly a double upper so we get priority?

@Mike_Bacon: Included in @ipswichspeedway 2016 team tomorrow is a new Witches club asset. @ipswichstar24 @EADTsport24 Interesting.