Islander15

Agreed, but then at the opposite end of the scale, you must admit that approaching late January and no rider announced at all (the only one mooted looks ineligible) isn't going to create optimism within the supporters.

It wasn't just the once that he didn't turn up for an away meeting, I remember him doing it a couple of times for the Isle of Wight. One occasion springs to mine at Mildenhall where Niall Strudwick took his spot for the day.

Haha I was waiting until we know all the riders. Like I think Buxton's 5 can beat Rye's 0 but if builderbob is right and Eastbourne finish above Cradley I'll have to do some kind of forfeit

I thought Tabaka but it suggests he's ex-Plymouth to me. Morris and Holder would fit though.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plymouth-Devils-hope-wrap-new-signing-days/story-25798103-detail/story.html Who's the injured rider he's referring to?

Do you know how old Watts is?

Tom got announced as the fourth name and Liam won't be fit in time.

Teams like Storm have 2 ideas: to find riders for the Bees and to be competitive enough to attract fans. If the first was the sole reason then I'd suggest that Farnaby and Ritchings wouldn't have signed as they aren't Coventry assets.

Nielsen is ineligible, Bates is apparently not doing NL this year and Carr is injured.

He doesn't fit. I expect it to be Crang or the reserve.

Yes this is a strong team and, along with Cradley, look the frontrunners in the league. From an unbiased view, and having seen a lot of NL racing (Look at my sig): Ellis will be one of, if not the, best rider in the league. He's only had 1 full NL season but still managed 8.90 with the Islanders and I expect him to push on towards a 10 average, if not creeping into the low 10s. Perry completes probably the strongest top 2 in the league and he's been around a couple of years now to know the tracks and be able to establish himself as a real force and will be bteer than many other teams number 1s. It was only 2 years ago that he averaged 9.88 when the league was stronger than it is now and when he works out how to pass at Perry Barr I can see him averaging around 9. This may only be Chapman's second season but he ended it last year at number 1 for Scunthorpe and was set for a maximum in his last meeting but for a fall, and that was after he guested in the PL meeting and took an almighty fall in heat 2 when he got ran over! The knack to winning teams at this level riders that are progressing quick and Sam falls into this category. I can see him adding near to 2 points. Zach has been ready for the NL for a year or 2 now but his age has ruled him out until 2015. He's definitely one of GB's better prospects, proven by his success on the world stage at junior levels, and it may take him a little while to get up to speed with league racing (having done no or little MDL) but when he does he'll be one of the best 3 pointers in the league and I see his average, nearly doubling. Wilson has shown his promise in MDL appearances last season and Scunthorpe's winter series and has beaten established riders such as Danny Phillips (Cradley last year, now Stoke) and Tom Woolley (Buxton). Again I expect him to be one of the better 3 men and average around 4 to 5. Banks rode a handful of times last season for Devon and scored a repsectable number of points. I expect him to be the 'weakest' of the three newbies but anyone with motocross background knows how to gate! Though, along with Zach and Wilson, as there is an abnormally high number of 3 pointers in the leageu this year it'll only help all 3 to settle in. It also looks a very entertaining team. One thing you will notce with the youngsters is how much they progress over a campaign and 5, with maybe Perry apart, fit into the category of fast improving! Ellis, Perry and Zach are racers too so don't turn up expecting gate and go!

Clegg is a number 1 capable of beating anybody and I expect him to average nearly 10 and Greaves isn't too far behind ability-wise but I think this season he might beat the number 1 in one race but struggle in the next so he'll average just into the 8s. Ellis will be another heat leader and nearly triple his average in the mid 8s which will let Matt have a season of consolidation and push his average to the low to mid 7s. Arron will beat the 3.00 riders and surprise a few more to add nearly a point also I think he may have a month at reserve at some point alongside Harris or Neale. Neale will benefit with Clegg in the team and average mid 5s with Harris struggling at a new track at first, but after the first set of averages when Ellis may well go straight to number 1, he'll be at reserve and end up on a figure close to Phillips this year. So that gives them a team average of 47 to 49 when they're facing Birmingham in the Gold Cup final with the league trophy in the bag.

I'm guessing from the thumbs up that you approve??

Following on from what Dean has said, that's why I think you should have one rider who can relate to fans in your team. I'm talking generally here but one rider who rides like anything other than Wolbert for Glasgow, isn't going to make a league winning team a losing one but they can make a losing one appear at least like they're trying for their club and for the fans.

If Brendan had have ridden for Rye, you would know how friendly and open to fan interaction he is.

As I said, this isn't about the EL. If Brendan was in twit then I agree that he'd be poor. Anyway Smart retired after he was sacked! I'm not delusional about him, you ask anyone if they like him as a person and they'll say yes. That was my point in the opening post and I said why he hasn't progressing as quick as hoped as speedway put him in a coma! You're the one who's gone off topic.

This is a conversation about the National League and Poole do that to everyone, just ask Lee Smart or Ben Hopwood. Swindon signed him after that though!

He wasn't dropped last season... One rider doesn't make a team. You put Brendan alongside 'good young prospects' and you'll win the league. You put Brendan in a poor team and at least the fans will endear themselves to Brendan!

I know what point you're making but BDJ is a unique example. He had a very serious injury and to be blunt is lucky to be alive after it. So his development, in points scoring ability, has been stunted but he showed before that at Smallbrook that he has potential which is why he's ridden in the PL. Mildenhall got a bit of that as he was on a false average next year but if he's settled I'm sure he will improve his average a little bit, even if there's nothing significant. However the biggest thing with Brendan is he's very likeable! If you want a rider that the fans can relate to then you pick him and I think with being a new NL team you need someone to become a fans favourite as there no-one already there!

Do you mean the Isle of Wight Eagles ;)

Liam's not going for a team spot but hopes to be back on a bike sometime next year. Next signing announced tomorrow morning!

I just learnt after the first attempt that I couldn't do anything else at the same time haha and happy birthday (again )

When he first posted I thought he was on about Jason Bunyan!! Too many aliases to keep track off haha

It doesn't work like that in the NL though as you often have riders who make much bigger improvements that in other leagues simply as they are just starting out. So even though I expect Ellis to be the top rider in the league, there simply isn't a lot of room for him to increase his average, whereas you look lower down the order and Zach could double his average, Perks could triple his and even someone like Extance could add 2-3 points despite not being a eat leader before and how many 5pt riders do that in other leagues! Look at Greaves last season, if you had a 4pt rider outside of the reserve berth for the first time in the PL, would you expect him to finish on 7.12??

The rules state that you use the higher of your your convertered PL average or current NL average. In the case of Adam his converted PL average is higher so he takes that. As greyhoundp says, this has been confirmed by current NL promoters/team managers.