Play off contenders

[The Cheese]

Sheffield

Eastbourne

Edinburgh

Redcar

Don't think there is a real stand out team, they all have strong points but question marks over other areas. With the exception of Birmingham I think you could make a case for any of the other sides to reach the top 4 which should make for a very interesting season.

[Albert]

Lots of questions marks..… Much will depend on how the new Aussies perform, how well the upcoming national league lads adapt and whether last years injured riders return to their previous best.... and IF you can have an injury free season.  All those questions apply to my team Scunny, but I see every team having its own set of worries and expectations.  

Struggling to make any kind of prediction, however, I do like the look of Somerset, with perhaps Sheffield, Eastbourne and Leicester making up the top four. As previous posters have said, I don't think there is out and out favourite this year, this makes next season wide open, exciting and one I look forward to.

[eric i]

Sheffield look the stand out team to me, I think Drew Kemp is going to put some points on his average.

[Charlieboy]

If Drew Kemp has only one meeting at reserve and then goes into the main body of the team then he may struggle.Hope he doesn't for our sake.Danny King needs to come back strong from injury.zaine needs to hit the ground running and we need Broc to get his bikes sorted.If that happens we have a good side. It looks exciting on paper but we need to do it on track.

[jenga]

3 hours ago, eric i said:

Sheffield look the stand out team to me, I think Drew Kemp is going to put some points on his average.

no doubt about it . only needs 1 more meeting and he has already increased his average . good prospect tho .

[SomersetBlue]

Sheffield - look good on paper but so they did last season. Andersen, Nicol and Kennedy have to live up to the hype.

Leicester - very solid top four who should score home and away. Add on Mountain starting at reserve is a bonus but even if Perks drops they have a strong reserve. 

Somerset - granted i'm biased but I fully believe that is the best top 5 in the league. Reserves are the question, though Atkins does know the track. 

Redcar - very strong top 3 and massive potential at reserve. Can't see many teams beating them at home. 

Edinurgh - Wells is a good no. 1, Lawson a strong reserve and Pickering, Heeps and Andersson are solid enough. What Sedgmen will do is the big question? 

Eastbourne - As much as they will be strong at home with the lack of experience in the lower end, they may struggle away. 

Glasgow - people may be surprised but I really don't rate this team. Poor lower end may be helped slightly by Vissing, Jensen and Starke at home but I fear away may be a one man team, Cook. 

Workington - Very strong at home tbh and probably an exciting team at Derwent Park. However MacDonald being a British novice and Lambert being in the main body, I can't see an attsck on the play- offs. 

Scunthorpe - no omph in the team tbh. It's an ok looking team but doesn't make me feel any confidence in it. List starting in the main body is intriguing decision as Bailey isn't good enough to make the top 5.

Berwick - same as Scunny really. Has no x- factor to the team. 

Newcastle - poor team imo but at the same time it probably has the biggest potential given that every single rider can improve their averages, I just don't expect them to do it. 

Brummies - sadly the speedway club that I am closest to, even though i'm a Rebel, looks a poor side as clearly they are trying to re make an asset list. Wajtknecht and Shanes are very good signings though. 

[jenga]

thats a good assumption of all the  championship teams ....... . agree with all of that post........  roll on March or id it April when the season starts .

Merry Christmas to all . hope  your teams have a good 2019 and no mishaps . love to you all   

Edited December 24, 2018 by jenga

[Gavan]

8 hours ago, SomersetBlue said:

Sheffield - look good on paper but so they did last season. Andersen, Nicol and Kennedy have to live up to the hype.

Leicester - very solid top four who should score home and away. Add on Mountain starting at reserve is a bonus but even if Perks drops they have a strong reserve. 

Somerset - granted i'm biased but I fully believe that is the best top 5 in the league. Reserves are the question, though Atkins does know the track. 

Redcar - very strong top 3 and massive potential at reserve. Can't see many teams beating them at home. 

Edinurgh - Wells is a good no. 1, Lawson a strong reserve and Pickering, Heeps and Andersson are solid enough. What Sedgmen will do is the big question? 

Eastbourne - As much as they will be strong at home with the lack of experience in the lower end, they may struggle away. 

Glasgow - people may be surprised but I really don't rate this team. Poor lower end may be helped slightly by Vissing, Jensen and Starke at home but I fear away may be a one man team, Cook. 

Workington - Very strong at home tbh and probably an exciting team at Derwent Park. However MacDonald being a British novice and Lambert being in the main body, I can't see an attsck on the play- offs. 

Scunthorpe - no omph in the team tbh. It's an ok looking team but doesn't make me feel any confidence in it. List starting in the main body is intriguing decision as Bailey isn't good enough to make the top 5.

Berwick - same as Scunny really. Has no x- factor to the team. 

Newcastle - poor team imo but at the same time it probably has the biggest potential given that every single rider can improve their averages, I just don't expect them to do it. 

Brummies - sadly the speedway club that I am closest to, even though i'm a Rebel, looks a poor side as clearly they are trying to re make an asset list. Wajtknecht and Shanes are very good signings though. 

Pretty good assessment i would say and i make Somerset favourites

I do however see Berwick doing really well i dont know why just a hunch

[Fromafar]

Looks a very interesting League a lot close matched Teams Imo.As long a they just get on with it a not have the usual end of season log jam with fixtures.K.O.Cup  and  Shield fixture should be completed and out the way long before Play offs unlike previous seasons.Wont hold my breath though.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all supporters.

[Bandit59]

3 hours ago, Gavan said:

Pretty good assessment i would say and i make Somerset favourites

I do however see Berwick doing really well i dont know why just a hunch

Hope you're right

[Carlislecomet2]

I think Somerset Blue has summed things up pretty well.

I'll go for: Leicester, Sheffield, Redcar, Edinburgh.

There are a lot of even looking teams and it will be interesting to see how the likes of Glasgow perform with a big hitter at No1 as opposed to those that have gone for a more even top 5.

Should make for an exciting season and I for one cant wait.

 

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

Sheffield

Somerset

Edinburgh

Berwick

with Eastbourne and Leicester challenging closely.

[cyclone]

Workington

Sheffield

Somerset

Scunthorpe

[Tosh1218]

Every season people try an predict the Winners ,this season there is a lot of riders  who were heat leaders in the national league who will be occupying the 3 lowest point positions in most teams .Obviously it looks like Sheffield will have a massive improver in Drew Kemp so they will be in the mix ,think people liking Somerset will be disappointed as the two reserves will hold them back in away meetings . I witnessed last seasons favourites chosen by most people Scunthorpe ravaged by injuries .

So this season no predictions just hope all teams have less injuries to riders than last season and the best side comes out on top

[TheScotsman]

Berwick 

Edinburgh 

Glasgow 

3 horse race. 

 

[ScunnyDan]

Somerset

Sheffield

Scunthorpe

Glasgow

[Paddy The Rebel]

Berwick - look to have a simular team to last yr bit weaker at reserve and thats it,so can see them near the play offs this year.

Birmingham- looks woefull terrible team wooden spoon. Lack of heatleaders plus no senior reserve with league experience means no big scoring at top end or bottom.

Eastbourne have a very strong spearhead,very good bottom end will get found out a bit away from home but all in all a very good team definate potential for improvement from bottom 3.

Edinburgh- look a very good solid unit no real weak links in top 5 a no1 to get plenty of pts plus plenty of back up,a useful reserve in lawson can see improvement in lawson and some of top 5.

Glasgow-dont go much on this team tbh, with the points theyve used on bottom 3 they look worse than eastbournes and theyve used about 1pt less,def not play offs.

Leicester- good top end,good reserves and not a bad middle order think they should be close to play offs.

Newcastle- very good top 2 for not much useage on pts very good middle order,Max clegg will be ok at reserve but phillips can be carried think will be close to play offs.

Redcar-like this redcar team very gd heatleaders but not as strong at 2nd string,if they improve could well b a very good year for redcar,def play off contenders.

Scunthorpe-think they look ok but not spectacular top 4 looks good but bottom 3 looks weak,play offs a tough ask.

Sheffield- do look like the team to beat howarth and kemp on false averages could well add 4.5pts plus combined to averages proctor will be 1 of the best 3rd heatleaders,out and out no1 in King should see them near the very top.

Somerset-very good top 5,def the best heatleader trio at this level,and decent back up in berge and kurtz,just the reserves where will be weak but the top 5 should see them through most meetings.

Workington-like this team very gd no1 on a decent average plus decent back up in aarnio,wilson dean and campton will score points everywhere and lambert will be solid think theyl need bickley to improve this year.

Overall

Somerset 

Sheffield 

Leicester

Edinburgh

-in any order

Edited December 27, 2018 by Paddy The Rebel

[IronScorpion]

Reading through the many teams topics, most are saying teams will be weak at reserve. MOST ARE! That is why the 38 point limit was brought in to bring through the NL riders to the next level & not the EDR fiasco that we had in the EL a few years ago when it was a big jump for the riders & averages was a mish mash.

For me, it will be about how all the teams bottom 3 riders will score as having that top NL rider like Kemp & Mountain should score well at reserve. Kemp will move into the main body after 1 away meeting but should still score points against the reserves(ex NL) & some 2nd strings but he then will not have the scoring potential from 6 or 7 rides but a 4 point plus rider will take his place which is why I rate Sheffield. Having a rider of 2 points but is averaging 4.5 & Howarth who proved is not a no1 but again a steal on a lower than normal average shows that this team is made to around 42-43 already. But other teams are similar. Worrall has a lower than normal average. We have Nielsen who averaged 1.5 more than he is on now before his injury but we have Auty at no 1 even though I do not rate him as a no1 compared to other teams. His gating still needs to improve but he sorted his head out & proved what he could do increasing his average by around 1.4. Can he improve more? Unsure, but he was selling 1 bike so he is looking to improve his equipment. He just needs that PL place to give him more rides. There are places not been named yet though in the PL. 

[gazzac]

Not many will rate Eastbourne as contenders for the playoffs , but Wood and Brennen generally had the beating of anyone at Arlington last season in the NL including Kemp and Mountain, add in the fact that a lot of riders in the championship won't have had any experience of the tight turns of Arlington , can't see them losing at home next season especially with a top end that ride Arlington well. Away will be Eagles of old but win all at home, pick up an odd point or two away  and you certainly should get to the playoffs, probably not win them, but top 4 a definite possibility.  

 

Edited December 28, 2018 by gazzac

[Tweagle]

I like Somerset,Sheffield, Workington and Eastbourne.Having seen a lot of National League racing over the past years, I fully endorse the views of gazzac (above). In my view Wood and Brennan will prove overall the best reserve pairing in the Championship by a country mile.At Arlington they can both already post times as fast as those seen in our past Elite league days, and were at least as good if not better than Kemp, and way better than Mountain plus the other highly rated National league riders.Away they won't be as good, but you only have to win a handful of away matches to reach the play offs. Providing you are solid at home and we will be. Our top order is as good as any other team. Morley and Bowtell are a little underpowered in the middle order, but I still think our home form plus the odd away result will see the Eagles in the play offs.