STEVEHOLS54

I think your top 4 will keep Swindon in the hunt and in the top 4. If the bottom half does not do it's job then Rosco can always look to change riders should he not feel they will do what he needs from July onwards. I would hope not for the team, being Brits involved but ultimately we are in a results driven biz.

On top of that, those of us who follow POL Speedway have noticed over the last couple of years how these POL EXL owners and Nice 1 as well have been signing up a fair bit of this young Aussie talent that does not get reported much in our Speedway media news in UK. They are signed up young and then either go on loan to lower league teams for experience or if not get the chance to do practice with the big guys to gain some experience. I think POL Speedway seems to have a decent scouting system in place both here and in Aussie reporting on the progress of these up and coming stars with probably similar in SWE/DK. Would like to think that Fricke will come good together with Brady & Jack and let's not forget they are 22/23 not 32/33 so plenty of time to reach the very top. All 3 are already in the World's top league/teams so already achieved what most British riders can only dream of.

Especially if your anticipated top 2 young Aussies realise anything of their true potential this season. Prefer anyway that many treat us as underdogs and let's see how the season progresses. Too much anticipation and over hype put on many of our teams over the years at Poole.

Fricke may still be improving. Much as I am a big Jack fan let's not forget what Fricke has achieved at still only 22. He won 4 yes 4 Aussie U21 titles - A World U21 title in 2016. Believe he was also part of League winning teams in the same season in POL Nice 1 - Swe Prem & Dk Leagues (was either 2016 or 2017). Easy to forget he is still only 22, but sometimes your past successes put you on a pedestal for expected immediate success on the World stage. Max/Brady & Jack are all progressing at 22/23 but maybe at different levels in their quest for the top. We should never forget a certain Mr Doyle who rode around Poole at similar age and never looked anywhere near the class of these guys. Even at 26/27. The biggest example of being one who matured later and then took it all the way to World Champ. Not everyone can immediately be a Zmarzlik/Drabik/Smektala/Woffinden/Piotr Pawlicki in their early years but one would like to think that all 3 young Aussies will be top/top riders in coming years.

Would not surprise me if Matt Ford already released all or most of the team to the Echo prior to Ned Payne going on his one week jolly up in Dominica. No doubt under strict instructions to be released on certain days timed with the Echo daily online deadline. The lack of a recognised World Star due to the lack of available money (or real interest from these stars who don't want to ride UK)) would seem to back this up. Interesting though as Matt was always enthusiatically involved with each riders press release, and kept hold of info right until the minute he wanted it released. I can only assume now he is looking to get out, and allied to no good news on Sponsor front, maybe means the effort is taking it's toll on him as he struggles to secure Sponsorship, be that main team sponsor or even some of the smaller ones who seem to be jumping ship. Having said all that I suppose we have been spoiled over the years of his tenure with some of the top guys that have graced the team. Let's hope next season is not Poole's last, but it's going to take people with deep pockets plus a decent main team sponsor & smaller sponsors to take it forward.

I think that Ford will be putting a lot of faith in both Kurtz (and I assume Jack Holder who has been widely mentioned on the Forum) to find some decent form with at least one of them progressing on to become an actual Heat Leader. If Ford builds a team of steady points scorers around then two and with 2 decent reserves it MAY surprise some come latter part of the season. Of course it also may not, but irrespective, this is due to be Ford's last season. If he doesn't find a buyer at his highly inflated idea of what the Club is worth in what has been a slowly dying sport, he threatens it may be Poole's last in the sport. As it stands things not looking so clever - No real TV money - No major team sponsor (as it stands) which would be the first season ever ?? - Also in the latest interview he now mentions 1/2 (probably at least 2) of the other smaller sponsors have also chosen not to renew. Are we really surprised when the guy with arguably the highest profile in the modern era of the sport in UK has decided he wants to jack it in in favour of a new career/biz venture. Fortunately he has enough assets and there are enough riders not fixed up where he can still put a half decent side out to hopefully compete in 2019 without breaking the Bank.

Top end is important but strength in depth can be good when you are riding away. Having reserves that can switch in and out of the berth during the season can also be important as Poole found last year when the likes of Woryna/Worrall went in/out. You get 3 points at home irrespective if you win by 2 or 30. Away its about pinching points from a 6 points or less defeats with draws and odd victories a bonus. Look at Poole second half of last season. Its about getting in top 4. Anything above 3 is a bonus as it puts you towards deciding your own destiny as to home/away choice in the play offs. I will be happy to have a decent in depth team to start. If it is looking problematical come July (or even earlier) you can always tinker with the team if need be.

Okay let's play the cryptic clue game ;-) Firstly Matt said that Covatti would be the SENIOR reserve. Meaning the other has to be less than 4.70. Your clue was 2 from a different nation which pushes me towards DK. Klindt being one of them. The other cold be the DK born Stefan Nielsen ?? on 3.7 ish which is below Covatti. Makes some sense as he was riding well for Poole last season before the nasty injury which almost wiped his season out. His 4 match av was 5.18 or 6.12 incl BP. Viewed from that respect a starting GSA of 3.7 approx looks pretty good ;-)

Look at it like this. No POL team wants Cook or Harris. Anderson now only good enough for POL Nice 1 and not POL EXL and think I heard that his team may not even have a licence to race next year due to some issues. Nothing like those facing the team that Hancock/Morris & Becker ride for who seem to have a boss who has commited some nasties in not paying riders of the team - plus an individual Tournament and also for a car they purchased that was given as a prize. They paid 1/2 payments and then stopped. News on them looks pretty bleak according to the main POL Speedway site https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/i-liga/statystyki/2018 Check the recent headlines on right hand site of the web page. Mentions Anderson's team and some stadium payment issues as well as the various Hancock team issues which look more serious.

This team should in theory easily keep in the top 4 for the play offs. Additionally if Lampart doesn't cut it then there is always the possibility of changing during the season as I am sure there would be other possibilities in the lower points region become available either here or from overseas. The rest of the team look able although would be a little worried about Zach if not at reserve. Still think he will struggle a bit in main team. Bu that may change after first GSA's. Also he could do with an injury free run for a change to stop hindering his progress. There is still plenty of points in the team though and for sure having the best rider in the League by far in Doyle takes some heat of the lower order.

One of the expected 4 in the side ;-)

If the other reserve is what I have heard rumoured they could be decent in that department. Definitely has a strength in depth look - IF - as I said 2 certain young Antipodean Individuals ride to their true potential. The Poles are not stupid and saw the potential in both hence why they had their first full POl EXL last season and both are expected to push on. Quite incredible to think that one already has a Gold Medal having helped with the POL EXL League last season with the other expected to be in full team all season in 2019 after impressing last season. We may have another young Aussie chap in reserve who has potential ;-)

I think the announcement of what is becoming the rumoured team, with no top established star, and the expected loss of 2 of the brightest up and coming young overseas stars in the sport who had decent first seasons, will perhaps highlight the financial situation at the club and perhaps Ford's unwillingness to invest much money in his final season. Allied to the absence of the major main team sponsor probably highlights where we are in the sport. The top man want's out and arguably the club with the highest profile has (so far) not been able to attach a serious major sponsor. On top of that the big SKY money went some time ago. Add all three and hardly a healthy sign for the sport going forward. Despite all that because of the make up of what is now an inferior league in World Speedway terms, Poole will still have a reasonably competitive team that will probably hold up ok in the top four to compete for the play offs. That is PROVIDING the 2 anticipated young Aussies step up to the plate.

Hope so. The one so far hardly going to get people out spending money on a season ticket which Poole so actively seem to be pushing ahead of rider announcements. Wonder how Matt's quest for the main team sponsor is going. With little to no money going into the club would one would think he is desperate for season ticket sales hence why they are probably pushing the point. Perhaps a sign of the clubs financial state and Matt's perhaps waining interest in putting much more into the biz will be highlighted by the lack of perhaps some top and up and coming stars that graced the team in 2018. Can't help thinking it will be more of a home grown inexpensive feel to it, and I incl Aussies in that as they all live here ranging from living with Middlo to others who are also based here. Think we will see that other than Doyle the true World Stars will again be conspicuous by their absence incl young and up and coming Poles/Danes. I excl Rob Lambert who is both a Brit and a potential World Star. Still hopefully will be a team to at least hold its own with strength in depth, IF the 2 alleged rumoured young Antipodean Guys get it together in 2019.

Interesting comment. If that's the case he arguably doesn't need UK anymore. Doesn't need the experience at his age on UK tracks, will be commited to POL/SWE & DK PLUS he is back full time in the SGP for 2019 after qualifying last season in the SGP Challenge Final. One could argue that is was only his British ?? partner that kept him here, but if they (and think he has a young family )?? have upped sticks and moved to DK, then he does not need the expense - constant flying in and out for MON & Thur meetings, and the risk of injury from racing on our arguably questionable prepared tracks. Now he can do POL/SUN - SWE/TUE - DK/WED - spend some time with family before POL again on SUN plus all the Saturday SGP rounds. Factor in he also has to ride DK Champ rounds and final to keep his nominations for SGP qualifiers, plus actual SGP qualifiers and final as well. I am sure he realises he may not automatically qualify in top 8 for SGP and would not be a likely Wild Card with all the new talent coming through now. A wise and sensible move from NKI if he has decided to move all the family to his homeland in agreement with his new Wife now they have recently got married (so I heard).

I wouldn't knock it as they were top of the actual League and arguably injury cost them in the finals of the Play offs and KO Cup. One could say why change a winning formula as they were on a roll second half of the season. Problem is they have to lose that 1.17 over the limit on last seasons final GSA. Meaning even if they lose NKI they would have to replace with a rider with a max GSA of 6.21. Personally don't think that would be the end of the World IF last seasons other 6 rode to the form they did second half of 2018. Problem is can't see much at that kind of GSA on currenty Final GSA list.. Maybe Bellego at 6.11 but let's be honest he is no NKI. But change/changes have to be made whatever team is chosen for 2019. The sport can be so cruel. So close and injuries at the worse possible stage cost them dearly, plus to add insult to injury they have to shed 1.17 for this season.

No way I can see Cook at Poole. This all seems to have blown up in the last days and only today has it really been confirmed he won't be riding there. His latest tweet only 36 mins ago to confirm it. He seems genuinely upset the way he has been treated. If as mentioned Matt already had his 7 sorted for a while then one would expect Cook not to have been part of that plan. Plus I doubt anyone could have forseen him riding anywhere but BV as he has that club running through his veins. Could all be smoke and mirrors of course but from his tone he seems genuinely upset as is one of his main sponsors who have also gone on to their twitter page about it in the last 40 mins or so.

Remember in previous years in play off meetings against Poole. He had BV blood running through his veins and was totally commited. He was gutted more than anyone when they just missed out winning. If I had been a BV supporter I could not have wished for a more commited rider. Full of raw emotion for BV to do well. It was not just another European Club for him as part of global track riding around Europe. In some ways I kind of hated the guy, but maybe it was part envy as that's the kind of commitment and sense of elation/grief I want to see from more riders when they are trying their best for the team and are GENUINELY gutted when they lose out. For many of the top riders its almost a sense of just another meeting and off to POL/SWE/DK tomorrow so doesn't mean too much. Maybe also being British he has also felt a real connection to the team over the years he has been with BV.

Would have thought Harris had a reality check after the nightmare of Rye last season where he is probably still owed money he may never get. Think Chris is a sensible man. he also runs Chris Harris Racing as a biz with sponsorship packages even down to the youngsters. I think he knows he needs security of a team/s with a regular salary/deal rather than a unworkable guaranteed lump sum arrangement with speedway finances as they are. He is now signed up with Prem/Champ (with no real race night clashes) - he will probably also do his Grass & Long track meetings where he can in UK and abroad, so he can sleep at night knowing he is already sorted for 2019. He knows he is no longer an 8/9 point Prem man riding on the World stage in GP's. He also knows he will be many teams idea of a guest should a team need a rider at short notice for whatever reason. His wife also has a decent job I believe, so security from both sides allied to having a young family probably means Chris learned its more about security than shooting for the stars like the Rye deal that went sour.

Maybe Cook is finding a problem after a failed GP series and part season in POL where he also failed to impress. Don't have all the info but has he failed to find a spot in both SWE/POL with any team ?? - Also no income from SGP this time. Also with his Champ GSA is he outside the scope for most if not all the Champ sides at a GSA of 10.45 because 1) His wage demands may be too high and 2) With the new Champ team limit being reduced from 42.50 to 38 to partly discourage big hitting Prem riders doubling up and to encourage more of the young NL riders into Champ teams to fit the new limit. Perhaps he was factoring all this loss of income into his new salary/deal request. If he only rides Prem then for sure he will be poorer in 2019 one would expect, unless big hitting sponsor pays him plenty.

If Nielsen is Swindon bound then maybe it is Jake Allen. Higher av at 4.56 but MAYBE better potential and would give stronger pairing. Maybe also makes sense if May/Ford already sorted out fixing up some of the Somerset team for 2019 fairly early as they knew in advance they would be dropping to Champ. Was said on here after last night that Matt already had his 7 sorted and just waiting some contracts back (plus one who wants unreasonable terms). Would make a lot of sense getting 3 of them in Covatti/Allen and Holder Jr. Maybe all 3 were sorted (sub contract signing) some time ago as well known Matt tries to finalise things well in advance. Perhaps him and May had talks way before now knowing they were dropping down. I know Somerset had Doyle but easy to forget how well they did all season as a team and only just (and some would say unluckily) came up short. Still Won the KO Cup though despite just missing the Prem Final.

How about Steffan Nielsen as possible second reserve on 3.67 IF Covatti is senior reserve at 4.70 - Total reserves 8.37 which is 2.27 lower than our reserves finishing GSA for 2018. A good chunk of what we need to save for 2019,but not arguably as strong as our finishing reserves for last season. That's assuming Nielsen can stay away from injury. Many were impressed when he came in for his stint prior to injury last season, and perhaps impressed enough to be invited back ?? Scunthorpe ride Fri and other Champ teams ride Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun so no fixture clashes. Also won't cost a Kings ransom one would assume, such as flying in a foreigner. Just a thought. Still wondering if any reasonably large big name in the frame bearing in mind the rumour posted on Poole Forum by one party today that maybe Jack Holder not signing ??

Not done enough in Prem for me yet to warrant anything special. He needs to show his POL form consistently to prove he worth more money. Even then these guys would be deluded to think UK can pay big bucks.

Some thoughts on this. Covatti - Senior reserve means he could go Shanes (or not reading above) - Maybe a young Australian like Stewart or Pickering or another Young Aussie (well 23) Allen who would all be on lower than Covatti so it's a little ambiguous. Could be another young foreigner below in the 4/4.5 range. Or even a left field signing like Todd Kurtz who wouldnt be expensive living with Brady in one of Middlo's accomodation's. Ref Chris Holder. One again not so clear. Doesn't actually say he won't be racing UK which would have put closure on it. Doesn't Chris have to go back to Aussie anyway to race in Aussie Champs if he wants to qualify for the GP play offs again as no chance he will IMO get a Wild Card again. If Jack is racing UK he could still get a joint house/flat share rental arrangement. We know he had his UK House sold stc but still doesn't clarify his situation as to racing. Maybe Woryna is the rider with unrealistic demands ?? - Could also be Jack who is now an up and coming POL EXL rider. We all know Woryna gets paid plenty as he is the star of Rybnik. Not proved himself enough yet if it is him to warrant super star money in our Prem. Same applies if it was Jack. Hope it's not Brady who probably benefits from cheap lodgings from Middlo and also has Todd benefitting from sharing with him. I'm ok with Covatti but still more questions than answers on rest of the team.

Good & interesting point. With supposedly little money in the sport, I am sure Matt will need as much money as possible close season, also with the main team sponsor still not sorted. Would have thought even 100 advanced Season Tickets would yield around £20/22k. A decent signing announcement would sure accelerate that process you would think. Would also act as a gentle nudge to sponsors for 2019 with the annual xmas do about to come round.