Sheffield Tigers 2024

[szkocjasid]

8 hours ago, AceBelle said:

Not declared as RS on BSPA GSA 2022  for wolves FLINT declared RS  also rules on   RS have changed since 2022 

What changes were these? I've not seen any rule changes since it was introduced.

[szkocjasid]

7 hours ago, Baldyman said:

Can't a rider on the RS list ride at 6 as just a normal reserve? Pretty sure Ipswich used a rider on the RS list not as an RS a couple of seasons back. 

Definitely going to be contenders for the title again. 

"Rising stars" can race at 6, we've seen this already. Besides the BSPL must allow them to race elsewhere in the team, otherwise they'd be naming 48 of the most promising British riders (amount listed in previous page), only to tell 41 of them they can't race in the Premiership - no-one give them any ideas lol!

Edited November 19, 2023 by szkocjasid

[szkocjasid]

7 hours ago, AceBelle said:

isn't there a picking order in which teams finish the league pretty sure that's why Aces ended up with Mulford because we had last choice for winning the league ?

I've never understood the picking order, why does Speedway punish successful clubs? I find it hard to believe there is an order at times as weaker clubs haven't picked the best riders.

As for Belle Vue, they picked Mulford, because they didn't want Kemp, Rowe or Bailey apparently? If they had picked one of these 3, it wouldn't look like they had the last choice!

[szkocjasid]

1 hour ago, Hooky said:

Think we’ll see a fair few teams shaping up with 2 young brits at reserve, no fear with Gilkes and Edwards.
 

Edwards showed glimpses of brilliance at home and away. Dan has a huge future in front of him and lining up in Poland for Pila’s first team and Grudziadz under 24’s will be big for his development. 

They look weak at reserve, that can't be denied imo, but that's what you expect when you sign a powerhouse top 5.

[szkocjasid]

9 hours ago, AceBelle said:

Won't be able to get 2 off the RS list if both are on it   one of them will be snapped up asap 

Unless 1) other promoters don't rate Edwards as one of the best 7 RS or 2) he chooses Sheffield over another team.

[Hooky]

31 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

They look weak at reserve, that can't be denied imo, but that's what you expect when you sign a powerhouse top 5.

I imagine the same thing will be happening at Ipswich and Belle Vue with their rumoured proposed line ups so far.

 

Plenty to come from Dan & Jase, hoping the powerhouse top 5 will take pressure off them both slightly.

[Ben91]

7 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

I've never understood the picking order, why does Speedway punish successful clubs? I find it hard to believe there is an order at times as weaker clubs haven't picked the best riders.

As for Belle Vue, they picked Mulford, because they didn't want Kemp, Rowe or Bailey apparently? If they had picked one of these 3, it wouldn't look like they had the last choice!

It’s a common system used for drafts in American sports. The worst team in the league gets first pick to help them try and improve. Kind of a moot point in Speedway where the other six riders can change completely from one season to the next. 

[Phil The Ace]

A very good team in paper and will make play offs easily. 
 

but don’t think they as good as a lot are saying. Not a lot of improvement in that team except jack and the reserves. Pickering maybe 

[Phil The Ace]

@AceBelle looks a right idiot now 

[Dornier]

19 hours ago, AceBelle said:

 

Sheffield won't get both Edwards & Gilkes it will be one of them if both are on RS list ? also not sure if they get last choice being champions ? 

Might be best to keep quiet

[OdsalBoy]

Edwards and Gilkes confirmed

[Arch Stanton]

Think other clubs without the financial backing to go top heavy, will see Sheffield’s reserves as an area to exploit by going strength in depth with a strong number 6. Well they don’t have much choice really, but they’ll see that as a way of competing. As eye catching as our (Ipswich) team looked at first glance last year, our tail caught us out far too often. Let’s have it right, if Morris hadn’t have derailed Leicester’s season, we were finishing 5th in a 7 team league and not even making the play offs. Yes the Riss issue didn’t help and if he’d not had issues and rode to his average, we may have won meetings we lost narrowly but still, having a weak tail is and will be a concern. 
 

Home form will be strong of course, but I think both Woffinden and C Holder will be flaky away from Sheffield, and Howarth and Pickering aren’t great travellers either so that coupled with the weak tail could see them struggle on the road. 

[Daniel Smith]

Whose the R/S? 

[Phil The Ace]

1 minute ago, Daniel Smith said:

Whose the R/S? 

Gilkes 

[RogerM22]

1 hour ago, Phil The Ace said:

A very good team in paper and will make play offs easily. 
 

but don’t think they as good as a lot are saying. Not a lot of improvement in that team except jack and the reserves. Pickering maybe 

Very true. Can't fault the top 5 but not much improvement. Let's see what the rest of the teams look like.

[Hooky]

15 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

Think other clubs without the financial backing to go top heavy, will see Sheffield’s reserves as an area to exploit by going strength in depth with a strong number 6. Well they don’t have much choice really, but they’ll see that as a way of competing. As eye catching as our (Ipswich) team looked at first glance last year, our tail caught us out far too often. Let’s have it right, if Morris hadn’t have derailed Leicester’s season, we were finishing 5th in a 7 team league and not even making the play offs. Yes the Riss issue didn’t help and if he’d not had issues and rode to his average, we may have won meetings we lost narrowly but still, having a weak tail is and will be a concern. 
 

Home form will be strong of course, but I think both Woffinden and C Holder will be flaky away from Sheffield, and Howarth and Pickering aren’t great travellers either so that coupled with the weak tail could see them struggle on the road. 

Let’s have it right, Ipswich’s tail end looked miles weaker than this Sheffield team for next season and I have no doubt they will have another much weaker tail end again next year.

If Jack Holder rides like he was before he got injured last season I think he has it in him to get his average to around 9.5 and Woffinden looked like a world beater before he crashed out of the British GP.

Everyone knows Chris Holders ability, people need to remember he came back from a broken neck last season before he joined Sheffield. He will have even more to give next season I think, in a team where he’s going to be 100% fully fit, riding with his brother and lads he gets on very well with.

Pickering has the ability to push be a number 5 if he goes the right way about it, he will keep the heat leaders on their toes. Think he’s going to have a big season next year in Poland as well as UK. 

Not much needs to be said about Howarth. 100% commitment on and off the bike, would have a 6.7 average without his bonus points last season so that speaks for itself. 

The 2 young lads look a big risk at reserve, but the strength of the top 5 should take a bit of pressure off their backs slightly and with the likes of Steady and Woffy with them, I’m sure they will improve more and more. 

Hard to compare when no other team has  made any announcements (only Basso at KL), never mind a full 7. But I believe we will see Ipswich and Belle Vue (maybe more) going the same way with 2 young British lads in at reserve. 

 

 

 

 

[Mr Bump]

1 hour ago, Phil The Ace said:

@AceBelle looks a right idiot now 

Indeed. I am blocked by this person on twitter, even though I have no idea who they are 

[psycho3a]

With Dan and Jason both being RS's can Sheffield not look at each meeting and declare who rides at 6 or 7... they can then base it on who rides well at what tracks and who they ride against in opposition meeting by meeting.

[Arch Stanton]

21 minutes ago, Hooky said:

Let’s have it right, Ipswich’s tail end looked miles weaker than this Sheffield team for next season and I have no doubt they will have another much weaker tail end again next year.

If Jack Holder rides like he was before he got injured last season I think he has it in him to get his average to around 9.5 and Woffinden looked like a world beater before he crashed out of the British GP.

Everyone knows Chris Holders ability, people need to remember he came back from a broken neck last season before he joined Sheffield. He will have even more to give next season I think, in a team where he’s going to be 100% fully fit, riding with his brother and lads he gets on very well with.

Pickering has the ability to push be a number 5 if he goes the right way about it, he will keep the heat leaders on their toes. Think he’s going to have a big season next year in Poland as well as UK. 

Not much needs to be said about Howarth. 100% commitment on and off the bike, would have a 6.7 average without his bonus points last season so that speaks for itself. 

The 2 young lads look a big risk at reserve, but the strength of the top 5 should take a bit of pressure off their backs slightly and with the likes of Steady and Woffy with them, I’m sure they will improve more and more. 

Hard to compare when no other team has  made any announcements (only Basso at KL), never mind a full 7. But I believe we will see Ipswich and Belle Vue (maybe more) going the same way with 2 young British lads in at reserve. 

 

 

 

 

I’m not sure it was “miles weaker”. Both Dan Thompson and Danyon Hume averaged more than both Gilkes and Edwards last year over all meetings. Ipswich’ tail was certainly weaker than Sheffield’s will be this year on the whole granted, as Rew struggled and made it a bottom three, which won’t be the case with Sheffield with their weakest member of the top 5 (Howarth) certainly stronger than Rew was last year. 
 

On your point about predicting Ipswich will again have a much weaker tail end than Sheffield next year, we’ll have to wait and see on that. 

[Aries]

7 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

I’m not sure it was “miles weaker”. Both Dan Thompson and Danyon Hume averaged more than both Gilkes and Edwards last year over all meetings. Ipswich’ tail was certainly weaker than Sheffield’s will be this year on the whole granted, as Rew struggled and made it a bottom three, which won’t be the case with Sheffield with their weakest member of the top 5 (Howarth) certainly stronger than Rew was last year. 
 

On your point about predicting Ipswich will again have a much weaker tail end than Sheffield next year, we’ll have to wait and see on that. 

You’re correct, Dan Thompson did outperform both Gilkes and Edwards last year, comfortably better than Edwards in particular. Ipswich’ number 6 will be the pivotal signing for them and determine which of the two sides look to have the longer tail. If Rew is included at Ipswich, it will also depend on how much if any progress he makes this coming season. I personally think Rew will up his current 4 point average more than Howarth will up his current average but time will tell on that one.