Islander15

What's actually been said?

I meant Simon also. As iand says he now has a 3.00 PL average.

I think there will be a rule change also,but there doesn't need to be for Lambert to ride NL as his PL average is 3.00.

He rode for Belle Vue Colts. Worrall at the end of the season was a different rider than the one that started! 17 points from 6 rides at Dudley. Likewise last year was only Bates' second in the sport so it wasn't surprising that he struggled to start with but was beating the best in the league for Mildenhall by the end of it. Considering Rose became a protected pick and was in the second round presumably they could protect Crang etc next year.

No just Kerr, Rose, Ellis, Newman & Morris were protected. The order that the riders were picked in was what I posted. Round 2 was in reverse order of ranking dependent on who the round 1 rider was ie Swindon went first in round 2 because they picked the lowest ranked round 1 rider (Worrall).

Newman (protected)Kerr (protected) Rose (protected) Morris (protected) Ellis (protected) 1. Garrity (Coventry) 2. Nielsen (Belle Vue) 3. Blackbird (Eastbourne) 4. Perry (Leicester) 5. Worrall (Swindon) 6. Starke (Birmingham) Round 2 7. Bates (Swindon) 8. Clegg (Leicester) 9. Lambert (Birmingham) 10. Jacobs (Wolves) 11. Morley (Lakeside) 12. Reade (Belle Vue) 13. Halsey (Eastbourne) 14. Smart (Poole) 15. Sarjeant (Coventry)

Currently a rider must have a PL average of below 4.00 to double down. The ratio is 0.6, the same as EL to PL, but the rider would use an old NL/CL average rather than converting his PL average.

I really do hope Scunthorpe come back. The best club in the country for talent for the last few years!

15.33 left for 3 riders so not both of those! About the best trio imo are Jensen, Anderson & Starke but I think Benko will struggle even if he is at reserve!

Reignites the debate of why isn't a 3.00 Brit in (which Chessell himself is and tbh Chessell isn't up to PL standard)?

You didn't follow the NL very closely then. He started at reserve & I'm sure if scored about 19 from 7 and I think he hit a maximum when he was alongside Lambert and he got about 15 from 7 to win the meeting at Kent. He carried on that form into the main body before he got injured (I think it was a dislocated shoulder). He's a talent and might not do a Kerr but I expect to see him push the 5.00 figure, maybe 4.50. He's definitely one of the best 3.00 riders & if EL sides have any chance he'll be one of the best B grade reserves and should get picked soon!

He had an operation on his leg in June and sold most of his gear, but he kept some because he said he wants to come back if he can.

That was the one that screamed at me too! But a few EL snobs seem to think he's the same rider he was a few years ago so maybe the promoters do too...

That's also how I interpret it. Ranking these riders within their gratings might become a problem because we all know R. Lambert should be an A rider but he doesn't have a PL average, whereas Smart has a PL average around 4.5 (without checking) but in reality he's a C grade!

Ben Reade, who I doubt will even be an A grade rider, beat Gustafsson at Eastbourne in Reade's first meeting back after being injured most of the season last year.

Riders with a PL average above 4.00 cannot double-up. However if a rider is in an NL declaration, and not PL at the start of the season but signs for a PL team mid season he can double-up if his average is below 5.00 (eg Wright this year). Therefore the following riders are ineligibke for NL next year if they sign for a PL team: Blackbird, Morris, Wright, Ellis, Nielsen, Kerr & Boxall.

With the likes of Blackbird, Ellis, Wright and Boxall set to be ineligible for next years' NL, he may turn out to be the top rider in the division which will surely only help his confidence and increase his PL scores!

That's because I run the account Look at my signature But seriously, I hope they do return! In terms of youth development I truly believe that Scunthorpe are one of the best this century.

Blackbird has far more potential.

Any suggestions as to who those might be?

Coventry confirmed last month that they will definitely be running NL in 2014. I'm just hoping the Islanders state likewise! I don't think it's clear cut that Dudley will be back either as they could go PL with the 14H/14A league fixtures allowing themselves, Peterborough and one other to join. I'm sure it would be beneficial for EL teams to run a NL team to give their reserves home track time, and for the likes of KL who have done this for several years already that's why I think they deserve to have Lambert & Kerr at reserve despite it being easily the strongest pair in the league... Sticking with NL, BV ran the Colts a couple of years ago, Poole ran Bournemouth, Birmingham ran the Bulls in challenge meetings and I'm sure Leicester could sustain NL racing, so even though I don't think we'll see mre than 8 teams at the tapes I think it would be worthwhile for some EL teams (other than Coventry & KL) to invest! Anyone heard anything about a return for Scunthorpe Saints?

1. Nick Morris 8.84 2. Lewis Blackbird 4.93 3. Leigh Lanham 7.16 4. Cameron Heeps 6.74 5. Rohan Tungate 7.05 6. Josh Bates 3.00 7. Adam Ellis 4.25 Several other options at #1: Worrall, Grajczonek, Lawson... Thoughts?

And what will happen with regards to averages as Stoke's are obscured by having ridden 2 less home meetings therefore making their riders more attractive propositions. The same can be said to KL to a lesser extent and Dudley, Kent & Mildenhall all have slightly higher figures.

Maybe 1. Richie Worrall 8.64 2. Jan Graversen 5.25 3. Josh Auty 7.24 4. Tero Aarnio 6.86 5. Sam Masters 7.43 6. 3.00 7. Ryan Douglas 5.03 It does seem harsh on Jorgy, Howe & Blackbird though! I hope I'm wrong because that doesn't look league winning, but I noticed Richie tweeted that he's sorted a British team for 2014.

Couldn't agree more! Also I'd like to see both reserves, at the start of the season, need to be 3.00 riders.