Premiership 2025 Predictions

[Arch Stanton]

9 hours ago, GiveusaB said:

For B'ham to finish in a play off position they would have to be ahead of Leicester/Kings Lynn?

With Ipswich/B.V/Sheffield a given.....

I'm afraid, there's no comparison imo....

But I do think that B'ham will finish above Oxford! 

No such thing as a “given” in this sport. Ipswich were the best side in the league last year all being equal, and it wasn’t even close really. But everyone knows what happened. If Emil had been injured sooner than he did, then Ipswich wouldn’t have even made the play offs. We/they were top at the time of his crash at Sheffield, but then lost the last 11 or 12 meetings I think it was in league and cup which gifted (yes gifted whether they like it or not) the KOC to Sheffield and the League to Belle Vue. The three top clubs who again look the strongest, may have the best top end, but they also have riders that are Elite because of the way they ride and the risks they take to win races. Doyle in particular, is one rider that is quite unique over here. He’ll treat heat 1 at Foxhall for a run of the mill league meeting, like a GP final. If he loses which he sees as his backyard, you’ll see him park his bike at the pit gate, rip out his cut out and storm back to the pits and slam his helmet down in his pit bay. He hates losing any heat, anywhere but particularly at Foxhall. That’s why he ends up with a 11+ average at Home. But with that, carries extra risk obviously. 
 

The teams that start the season in most cases, will look nothing like the teams that take to track in September. Either through injury, or strategic team changes. An awful lot of luck is involved in this sport, which means sometimes the winners are the luckiest, rather than the best. That applies to those that like a flutter as well. Little to no value in betting on the usual suspects, have a couple of quid on an outsider. 

Edited January 30 by Arch Stanton

[cowboy cookie returns?]

58 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

Doyle in particular, is one rider that is quite unique over here. He’ll treat heat 1 at Foxhall for a run of the mill league meeting, like a GP final. If he loses which he sees as his backyard, you’ll see him park his bike at the pit gate, rip out his cut out and storm back to the pits and slam his helmet down in his pit bay. He hates losing any heat, anywhere but particularly at Foxhall. That’s why he ends up with a 11+ average at Home. But with that, carries extra risk obviously. 
 

Fully agree with that, Emil is on par with the commitment.

we have been so lucky to have those two here at Ipswich I think most thought we might have Emil for a year maybe two so to be going into a third is fantastic.

Hopefully the boys will bring it home this year & us Foxhall faithful will continue to enjoy the Doyle & Emil show for as long as we can.

[szkocjasid]

10 hours ago, Pauldoveyspeedway said:

To many ifs in that team ..Hope your right tho ..

I agree, too many "ifs" to be confident. But Brummies fans can dream "what if"

[GiveusaB]

On 1/30/2025 at 5:18 PM, Arch Stanton said:

No such thing as a “given” in this sport. Ipswich were the best side in the league last year all being equal, and it wasn’t even close really. But everyone knows what happened. If Emil had been injured sooner than he did, then Ipswich wouldn’t have even made the play offs. We/they were top at the time of his crash at Sheffield, but then lost the last 11 or 12 meetings I think it was in league and cup which gifted (yes gifted whether they like it or not) the KOC to Sheffield and the League to Belle Vue. The three top clubs who again look the strongest, may have the best top end, but they also have riders that are Elite because of the way they ride and the risks they take to win races. Doyle in particular, is one rider that is quite unique over here. He’ll treat heat 1 at Foxhall for a run of the mill league meeting, like a GP final. If he loses which he sees as his backyard, you’ll see him park his bike at the pit gate, rip out his cut out and storm back to the pits and slam his helmet down in his pit bay. He hates losing any heat, anywhere but particularly at Foxhall. That’s why he ends up with a 11+ average at Home. But with that, carries extra risk obviously. 
 

The teams that start the season in most cases, will look nothing like the teams that take to track in September. Either through injury, or strategic team changes. An awful lot of luck is involved in this sport, which means sometimes the winners are the luckiest, rather than the best. That applies to those that like a flutter as well. Little to no value in betting on the usual suspects, have a couple of quid on an outsider. 

Ipswich still made the play offs without Emil/Jason....so, I believe, regardless of injuries, Ipswich/Sheffield/B.V will make the play-offs, as they have 'good' management and will fill any void that comes their way...

 

[SJA]

On 2/3/2025 at 7:33 AM, GiveusaB said:

Ipswich still made the play offs without Emil/Jason....so, I believe, regardless of injuries, Ipswich/Sheffield/B.V will make the play-offs, as they have 'good' management and will fill any void that comes their way...

 

I'm not convinced. Ipswich have good owners and manager. Belle Vue have good owners and a questionable manager and Sheffield have a supportive owners and a poor manager. I am yet to be convinced Simon is tactically astute as other managers, in fact i am not even sure he knows the rules at times.

[Gavan]

If nobody gets injuries Ipswich will walk it 

Their 2 biggest rivals last year Sheffield and Belle Vue are weaker where as Brennan for Rew makes Ipswich stronger 

I can even see Ipswich’s biggest challenge coming from Kings Lynn

[BluPanther]

12 minutes ago, Gavan said:

If nobody gets injuries Ipswich will walk it 

Their 2 biggest rivals last year Sheffield and Belle Vue are weaker where as Brennan for Rew makes Ipswich stronger 

I can even see Ipswich’s biggest challenge coming from Kings Lynn

Wouldn't that be fun...😅

[SaddlebowRoad]

3 hours ago, Gavan said:

If nobody gets injuries Ipswich will walk it 

Their 2 biggest rivals last year Sheffield and Belle Vue are weaker where as Brennan for Rew makes Ipswich stronger 

I can even see Ipswich’s biggest challenge coming from Kings Lynn

you just knew it would be acebelle laughing at this 

[PTW]

5 hours ago, Gavan said:

If nobody gets injuries Ipswich will walk it 

Their 2 biggest rivals last year Sheffield and Belle Vue are weaker where as Brennan for Rew makes Ipswich stronger 

I can even see Ipswich’s biggest challenge coming from Kings Lynn

I agree I think kings Lynn overall strength could well see them pushing ipswich for the league.

[StarBoy]

13 hours ago, PTW said:

I agree I think kings Lynn overall strength could well see them pushing ipswich for the league.

As much as I want to dream that this can happen it’s going to require a lot of things going our way this season:

We will require Kvech or Cook to step up and be a genuine No.1 home and away 

Will have to get a lot of meetings done by Heat 13 as there could be a 12-point swing in the final 3 heats (using a T/S in ht 14) 

No injuries which is becoming an all too familiar trend. And if we do get an injury a replacement is brought in immediately of equal strength

Winning every home meeting (even against Ipswich), which theoretically should be possible with the team we have, as they all enjoy the AFA

Not getting absolutely pumped away from home and keeping it competitive to ensure we pick up more aggregate points than we lose

If we’re going to push Ipswich, realistically that means we’re going to have to finish 2nd or 3rd in the league. If we finish 4th, Ipswich will just dump us out in the semis 

[Arch Stanton]

The AFA along with Leicester, are the two tracks I’m personally most confident of winning away at. Nearly all our riders enjoy riding those two tracks, even the “lesser” riders. King and Ellis can be inconsistent on the road, but they both win races at the AFA in particular. 

Edited 13 hours ago by Arch Stanton

[SaddlebowRoad]

the compost corner/foxhole derbies feel particularly mouth watering this year 

[szkocjasid]

4 hours ago, StarBoy said:

As much as I want to dream that this can happen it’s going to require a lot of things going our way this season:

We will require Kvech or Cook to step up and be a genuine No.1 home and away 

Will have to get a lot of meetings done by Heat 13 as there could be a 12-point swing in the final 3 heats (using a T/S in ht 14) 

No injuries which is becoming an all too familiar trend. And if we do get an injury a replacement is brought in immediately of equal strength

Winning every home meeting (even against Ipswich), which theoretically should be possible with the team we have, as they all enjoy the AFA

Not getting absolutely pumped away from home and keeping it competitive to ensure we pick up more aggregate points than we lose

If we’re going to push Ipswich, realistically that means we’re going to have to finish 2nd or 3rd in the league. If we finish 4th, Ipswich will just dump us out in the semis 

If Cook or Kvech step up to be a genuine number 1, then Lynn wouldn't lose 5-1s in the last 3 heats as they'd be beating top opposition riders.

I do think they'll improve, but not to "genuine number one" level. However Lynn don't need that to be successful - they have great strength in depth. But even if they did, can't see them (or anyone) overcoming Ipswich.

There actually the best club to overcome injuries, as long as the number 6 doesn't get injured, it's a team where r/r could work well.

[therefused]

3 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

The AFA along with Leicester, are the two tracks I’m personally most confident of winning away at. Nearly all our riders enjoy riding those two tracks, even the “lesser” riders. King and Ellis can be inconsistent on the road, but they both win races at the AFA in particular. 

Ellis? can be woeful at Lynn at times. 

[Petecc]

3 hours ago, SaddlebowRoad said:

the compost corner/foxhole derbies feel particularly mouth watering this year 

Compost corner! Now you are showing your age 🤪

[Arch Stanton]

5 hours ago, therefused said:

Ellis? can be woeful at Lynn at times. 

Last two season’s for Sheffield and Ipswich respectively 

7+1

9+1

10+1

9+2

7+1

For a rider in the 5-6 average bracket none of that can be classed as “woeful” for an away rider. That has to be one of if not the best of his away tracks. He’s the 5th averaged rider in our team which shows the strength of the side. If he scores in a similar fashion this year with the four above him likely to score more, then Lynn won’t be getting a sniff of a victory home or away 😉

Edited 4 hours ago by Arch Stanton

[Aries]

27 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

Last two season’s for Sheffield and Ipswich respectively 

7+1

9+1

10+1

9+2

7+1

For a rider in the 5-6 average bracket none of that can be classed as “woeful” for an away rider. That has to be one of if not the best of his away tracks. He’s the 5th averaged rider in our team which shows the strength of the side. If he scores in a similar fashion this year with the four above him likely to score more, then Lynn won’t be getting a sniff of a victory home or away 😉

And King’s last two season’s there, 9, 10, 12 (missed a meeting through injury). Brennan’s results there last year, 7, 13, 13! While Doyle and Emil obviously fill their boots there as well. Going to take a superhuman effort from King’s Lynn to end our winning run against them that’s for sure but they DO have a better side this time around so there should be some decent meetings coming up. Looking forward to them.

Edited 4 hours ago by Aries

[Bagpuss]

I think Lynn fans' perception of Ellis at the AFA are skewed because of some pretty horrible guest performances, most recently last season. But as an opposition rider he's always been pretty good ever since paid 20 on his debut there for the IOW back in 2012 in the NL.