torpointfanatic22 268 Posted March 7, 2010 So with just 4 starting spots remaining to fill for the 2010 NL season I wondered how people saw the league this season, here is my opinion... Bournemouth First up then, last years champions, well it was always going to be tough to emulate the side they put together last season and there was next to no chance of replacing Jerran. I was also surprised to see Kyle Newman left out, but team building is a tough job. Either way they still have a very powerful top 3 this year. Herne and Mark Baseby are exceptional around Wimborne road and will also score well away. Marks brother Aaron will have a tougher job in the main body, but I expect a big season from Danny Halsey, he has been a bit stale over the past couple of seasons at Rye and needed a move. I also see a lot of improvement in young Howarth. Key man: Dan Halsey Prediction: Were never going to be as strong as the all conquering 09 side but will still be there or there abouts, should squeeze into the top 4. Buxton I predicted them to be dark horses last year and so it proved, and with Cookie back this season they have one of the top riders in the league. Although the Hitmen have had to pretty much rebuild from scratch they look decent so far. Allot should score well on the big tracks and young Morris is tipped for very big things. Buxton do need another big hitter though and if Birko fills the void then their top 3 will be outstanding, even if the team would end up a touch top heavy. Key man: Nick Morris Prediction: Much depends on their final 2 and how good Morris turns out to be, could be the dark horses again but I think they will just miss out on the playoffs. Dudley Well im just delighted we have another team in the NL if im honest. On a serious note though, what a team the Heathens have put together. A quality heat leader trio, backed up by youngsters all looking to achieve big things in the sport. They're final rider needs to be a good one, as its likely they will start at reserve. I also worry about Mckinna missing matches as they can't have a guest for him. But for me this side impresses me and it should be a good debut year for Dudley. Key man: Ashley Morris Prediction: I worry if the PL comes knocking for Taylor and Smart, but on paper I fancy this Heathens side to have one of the better away records and for that reason could well top the pile. Top of the tree. Isle of Wight What a nightmare 09 for the Islanders with injuries galore!! The team for 2010 doesn't really excite me im afraid. Simmons will lead the side well as ever, but i worry about his commitments with Berwick which may take its toll as the season goes on. Hopwood and Johnson dont look particularly strong as heat leaders based on what i saw of them last season and Warwick has gone backwards at a pace recently. The reserves dont do much for me either, so although they will compete well enough at home, I feel a disappointing season on the cards for the Islanders fans. I hope im wrong. Key man: Brendan Johnson Prediction: Not enough top or bottom end strength to be challengers for me, they could struggle. Kings Lynn What a signing in James Brundle, I would be surprised if he drops a point at home this season! With Davies in the side I fancied them for top 4 but unless their replacement is a very good one i think they will just miss out. Mallett and Courtney will give Lynn a good spearhead, but as with last season I see this side being exceptional at home but poor away. Key man: James Brundle Prediction: Unless their last signing is a top one, bottom half for me. Mildenhall Jerran Hart is a cracking signing and will be one of the top riders at this level. Its also great to see a young, all British side and a very good one at that! Strong top 2, with Priest and Bates (who I wanted back at Plymouth by the way) giving good back up. Priest though probably needs to step up and push towards an 8 point average which he is certainly capable of. Jacobs at reserve could be a trump card too. My only worry is Harts availability as he will be crucial for the Fen Tigers success. Key man: Jerran Hart Prediction: Good all round side for the Tigers which should see them maintain a strong reserve throughout the season. Top 3 contenders. Newport I like this Newport team a lot. Plenty of youth, with the helping hand of the evergreen Tony Atkin. Newman is coming back from a nasty injury so may struggle early season, but I expect the lad to come on well this year. As for the rest, I dont know much about Mark Jones but Kurtz has bags of potential and could even be the Hornets number 1 as early as the first set of greensheets. Tim Webster is ever improving and the fast gating White Williams will do well at reserve. Key man: Todd Kurtz Prediction: Plenty of improvement in this side and for me it will be between them, Buxton and Plymouth as to who takes 4th spot. Being totally unbiased I will tip Newport to just miss out. Rye House Arguably the best top 2 in the league, and in Morley and Owen they have some quality youngsters coming through. My problem is the middle order, I just dont know if Mason and Strudwick will be strong enough. Either way they will be a very entertaining side. However if Hughes is unavailable they cant have a guest and therefore may struggle early in the season when he isnt there. Key man: Ben Morley Prediction: Like Newport there is plenty of improvement in this side, I just worry about the middle order. Bottom half finish for me. Scunthorpe Simply cannot fault Scunny for their development in British talent. They have not only lost a lot of their young stars, but have also had to contend with other teams all looking stronger than last season. Isherwood and Irving should improve a lot and Wrathall looked useful last season. They will probably get some hammerings away from home, but as the season goes on the Saints will get better and better. Key man: Gareth Isherwood Prediction: Think this season will be hard work for the Saints, but great experience for the youngsters. Bottom of the pile im afraid. Weymouth The poorest Weymouth side i have seen since they returned to the league in my opinion. Bekker will be consistent everywhere and score quite well. I saw Tom Brown at the New year classic and he looked a shadow of his old self and he will need to be a big scorer for the Wildcats for them to do anything this season. The middle order doesn't look particularly strong either. Cockle will need to get back to his form of mid season last year to trouble the top riders and at reserve they look very very weak. Key man: Tom Brown Prediction: I simply dont see the top or bottom end strength in this years Wildcats side and like the IOW could be the biggest disappointments this season, hope im wrong though as previous battles with Plymouth have always been great. Mid table at best. Plymouth Well i haven't hidden my disappointment at Plymouths side this year and the lack of good youngsters is frustrating. Saying that with the experience of Simmo and Seemond, Plymouth will always be strong at home. Losing Kyle is a massive blow and we haven't really replaced him. Wright has never been good at Plymouth but away he could be stronger. With a poor bottom end, the key for Plymouth will be whether Paul Starke can step up and Lee Smethills can find his old Oxford form. If they do, then despite being very top heavy, the top 5 should be strong enough to be around the playoff spots. Key man: Lee Smethills Prediction: The top 5 is on paper really strong but the bottom end is so very weak. Hopefully we can sneak the final playoff spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wessexboy 1 Posted March 8, 2010 (edited) This should be very good league this year really looking forward to it Here is the league table for the end of September 2010 1 Newport 2 Rye House 3 Bournemouth 4 Mildenhall 5 Dudley 6 Buxton 7 Kings Lynn (sorry forgot them ) 8 Plymouth 9 I of W 10 Scunthorpe 11 Weymouth Wessexboy has known to be wrong in the past but if you would like to add Rune Holta for 2010 world champion you may make some money at the bookies Edited March 8, 2010 by wessexboy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swift Saint 186 Posted March 8, 2010 Here is the league table for the end of September 2010 1 Newport 2 Rye House 3 Bournemouth 4 Mildenhall 5 Dudley 6 Buxton 7 Plymouth 8 I of W 9 Scunthorpe 10 Weymouth Are you expecting Kings Lynn not to complete the season then? As a sort of neutral now I feel that Rye House have an excellent team with Jamie Smith and Kyle Hughes and the emerging Ben Morley they will take some stopping. With two highly promising reserves and a very solid middle order I can't see them losing any at Rye and they will also be excellent away from home. I also think that my former Club, Scunthorpe, will improve rapidly as the season progresses just as they did last year when they finished sixth with three 15 year olds. Newport have a tidy line up and so to do Buxton whilst Dudley have a team that can increase their averages. Bournemouth are well organised and Kyle Howarth's presence will far exceed his starting average. Mildenhall have a great line up well led by the excellent Jerran Hart, another team very difficult to beat on their own track where Hart and Evans will dominate affairs and their fixtures with Rye House which are always mouth watering will be outstanding as will their clashes with Kings Lynn and the brilliant James Brundle an ex Mildenhall rider. Kings Lynn are another team who will be hard to beat at home where in addition to Brundle and Courtney Campos and Lowe love the wide dirt and excel in that situation. Yet another in that category will be Plymouth where experience will count for plenty but with Jamie Smith and Kyle Hughes in the side Rye House may have the keys to unlock the Devils monopoly at St Boniface. Isle of Wight and Weymouth will have to work very hard to reach the play offs. In my view the scene is set for an excellent season of National League racing and although I now have to focus on the Premier League and our fantastic Potters I am looking forwrad to my NL neutrality and seeing plenty of great third tier speedway. Malcolm Vasey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted March 8, 2010 I think this could be an exceptionally good year for the third tier of British Speedway (although we will rely on our old adversary, the weather). For a start, it will be highly competitive as there no obvious stand out teams that will become champions (I suspect that postings on this thread will name almost all of the leagues members as getting in the play offs), something that has only rarely been the case over the past few years. Secondly, the strengthening of one or two teams and indeed the weakening of one or two others may well result in increased crowd numbers. Finally, although sadly there are only a few newcomers this season, there are also a considerable number of talented young riders who may well make the grade and look forward to a PL place for 2011 (that's if the PL takes the promotion of British youngsters seriously). Competition, viability and the production of youngsters. Does it get any better than that for the NL ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wessex Wanderer 148 Posted March 8, 2010 Should be a very competetive year. Much harder to predict than for a good few years. Anyway - my 1 to 11: 1 Mildenhall 2 Newport 3 Bournemouth 4 Buxton 5 Kings Lynn 6 Dudley 7 Plymouth 8 Rye House 9 Weymouth 10 Scunthorpe 11 Isle of Wight Don't take too much notice of Wessexboy. After giving Mr Ladbroke a fortune in bets on Rune Holta, when he decided not to bet on him for the first time ever in a GP I won £250 on him for a £10 bet!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
builderbob 44 Posted March 12, 2010 injuries apart find newport to look strongest dont fancy bournemouths chances, but i didnt last year Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wightlink flyer 12 Posted March 17, 2010 If Newport finish top & IOW bottom, I will eat Pav's pants ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mops 0 Posted March 18, 2010 If Newport finish top & IOW bottom, I will eat Pav's pants ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
builderbob 44 Posted March 18, 2010 newport may well finish top but cant see iow at bottom so pavs pants should be safe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wightlink flyer 12 Posted March 18, 2010 (edited) Good to see you are more worried about Pav's pants, than you are me !! Hi Mops.... hope to see you and the gang again some time. Hope you are all fit & well ? Edited March 18, 2010 by wightlink flyer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dusty Bin 0 Posted March 18, 2010 Should be a very competetive year. Much harder to predict than for a good few years. Anyway - my 1 to 11: 1 Mildenhall 2 Newport 3 Bournemouth 4 Buxton 5 Kings Lynn 6 Dudley 7 Plymouth 8 Rye House 9 Weymouth 10 Scunthorpe 11 Isle of Wight Don't take too much notice of Wessexboy. After giving Mr Ladbroke a fortune in bets on Rune Holta, when he decided not to bet on him for the first time ever in a GP I won £250 on him for a £10 bet!!! Like ya top three WW, and Wessexboys predictions always brighten up the day. That's one thing you CAN bet on. Bin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruno 1,790 Posted March 18, 2010 dudley to finish top!!why?simples its cradley we are back Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mops 0 Posted March 19, 2010 Hi Mops.... hope to see you and the gang again some time. Hope you are all fit & well ? Hi Flyer - we are well thanks - hope you and yours are all well - best wishes to you all - hopefully catch up with you shortly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wightlink flyer 12 Posted March 20, 2010 All fie thanks. Will be good to catch up again and have a chat.... oh, and to get that beer Ali still owes me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hagonshocker 1,956 Posted March 30, 2010 Why do most 'pundits' in the Star rate Newport so poorly?!...im perplexed as any side that contains Atkin Kurtz Jones Webster Newman white-williams and tom Young looks a highly competent side! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
