DJWolves

We are obliged to name a number 8 for the new season. No idea who would be a good choice for that

Not obvious what the best riding order is. I think Becker and Worrall would make a good pairing at 3&4. The number 5 is key because they ride three times with the reserves. I would probably go for Morris with the possibility of changing that if Douglas improves as we hope he will.

I think Becker will be the biggest improver in the team. See him becoming a heat leader next season for sure

Masters, Morris, Douglas, Becker, Worrall, Kemp, Flint Seems like that would be a decent team to me as long as the reserves hold their own

So with Douglas, Kemp and Flint now confirmed how many points do we have to play with? Not sure what average Kemp comes in on

Douglas, Flint and Kemp now confirmed. How many points do we now have to play with? Not sure what average Kemp comes in on

So Drew Kemp it is. What average does he come in on?

Don’t think Nicol will be retained

Richie Worrall not Steve Worrall

Lindback rides for Masarna tonight and Zielona Gora on Friday

I think this Wolves team could be towards the top end of the table and stand every chance of getting to the play offs. They qualified last season despite Thorsell and Morris being out for a large chunk of the season and then needing time to get competitive. The 2020 team has a number of riders that could improve their average. But none of that argument changes the fact that they could have had a team improving from a 2 point higher base.

I think we have a decent team and one where a few of the riders can increase their average. But if you look at last season’s champions then Swindon had a combined average of well over 46. So to be as good as them this Wolves team needs to improve its combined average by over 5 points. Just ain’t going to happen

Becker confirmed so just one to go

I certainly think the last thing supporters and promoters should do is accept the way it is. Speedway in the uk used to be the place where any rider that had any ambition needed to ride. Poland didn’t take over that mantle by just waving a magic wand. It was sustained investment in riders, stadia, and on tracks. And they didn’t do it by controlling costs by imposing cost cutting points limits. They allowed those tracks that could afford it to build very strong teams. There was a real imbalance between the top and bottom teams in the league and people flocked to see the teams with the big stars. Then other tracks thought, we’ll have a part of that, and they invested in top riders also and they also saw their crowds grow. And so it continued to the point where all the top riders in the sport were riding there and getting well paid for doing so. In this country if tracks wanted to include Darcy Ward, Chris Holder and Bjarne Pedersen or Freddie Lindgren, Tai Woffinden and Jacob Thorsell then other tracks would say ‘we can’t compete with that’ and the strengths are dumbed down to fit the tracks that can only afford the cheapest teams. This is a great spectator sport and we need to encourage entrepreneurs who will invest to get bums on seats and be encouraged to do so. And then get to the point where half a dozen tracks can get top riders, decent stadiums and tracks and 5,000 through the door 15 times a season. It sounds like a pipe dream just as it did in Poland not so many years ago.

Do agree with bwitcher on this. I cannot understand why we are starting the season with a team 2 points below the points limit. When the points limit was revealed I wondered whether we would stick with the same 7 as last year. But with Sheffield entering the league that felt like an obvious destination for Howarth who knows that track well and it probably suits him more than Monmore. If the other 6 riders remain as last season, then the only issue to decide if it has been a successful transfer window is to compare Howarth and Nicol. If Howarth had stayed I suspect he would have averaged a similar amount to last season's 5.72. I would be over the moon if Nicol averaged more than that but I would be confident in saying he wont. So we must be worse off than if we had started with Howarth or someone that could match his average. There is also an associated factor that Douglas and/or Becker would spend more of the season riding at reserve if Howarth had stayed. Which just adds to the issue

This video interview was posted by SpeedwayGB on Twitter on 11/12 at 16:20

So cvs confirming in a video interview with speedwaygb that it will be just one change from last season if all goes to plan

Sounds like a highly informative talk in (not)

I think its far more hilarious to think that Wolves will go into next season with a team weaker than last season and two points below the points limit.

Lindgren or Iversen instead of Masters or Thorsell

Dave Parry has extended his sponsorship on the basis of being happy with the team plans, Knowing Dave I think he would have expressed his displeasure if those plans were to have a weaker team than last season.

Cant see Wolves going for a team 2 points below the limit and if they were retaining both Masters and Thorsell then they would have bought in a second string not a reserve. Greg would not be a popular man in a Wolves race jacket with either Wolves or Cradley supporters, so cant see that suggestion. Personally I would be surprised now if Freddie didn't return. Then the question is would you rather keep Sam or Jacob?

No question that if Nick rides to his ability he is on a bargain average but need to see more fire in his belly than we saw last season. The amount of points we have to play with for the remaining riders surely means a top number one is on the way. Tai or Freddie would be the ideal ones for me

Watching Becker and Nicol team riding will bring back memories of Sam and Ronnie. Trouble is its more likely to be in Heat 2 or Heat 8 than Heat 15

Nick had a poor season which was partly affected by injury. He surely had enough rides to have shown more improvement than we saw from him in the last two months. He gave the impression his heart wasn't in his racing and he is only on a bargain average if he gets his motivation back