g13webb 4,254 Posted February 21, 2017 James Shanes although a trier and entertainer is a poor gater and in my opinion is the weakest number 7 in the league. Bates and Ayres are certainly better. So to are Zach and Greaves. I would say Perks, Graversen and Bailey are better to but not by much. As for him beating the odd number 6 no chance apart maybe from Grondal, the others are ahead of him. Lebedevs , Huchenbeck and Sarjeant are very good number 6's The difference between them 3 is that although all will possibly increase their scores, only Lebedev will definitely move out of the reserve berth. The others can perform better but for them to move out they will need to out perform decent 2nd strings. I'm in no doubt Lebedev will be a Leicester heat leader after the first set of figures out... He is more than capable of being Lions top Man this season..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coomie 191 Posted February 21, 2017 With the equipment James has got over the winter I think the lad will surprise a few people.wish all teams a safe 17' no matter where they finish. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted February 21, 2017 Gavan still saying poole have a weak top 3!?! I'd say KL have clearly the strongest, then a toss up between wolves and poole for the next strongest (kk/Andersen > lindgren/Thorssel buy Masters > kurtz). Probably Wolves edge it, but none of the other 6 sides come close imo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Agrotron 955 Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) Poole . . . . . . . Swindon Edited February 21, 2017 by Pirate Oliver 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillipsr 2,053 Posted February 21, 2017 Kings Lynn Poole Rye House Wolves Belle Vue Leicester Swindon Somerset Coventry (won't last the season) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clive Ward 181 Posted February 21, 2017 Kings Lynn Wolves Poole Rye House Belle Vue Coventry Somerset Leicester Swindon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevethelion 192 Posted February 21, 2017 The difference between them 3 is that although all will possibly increase their scores, only Lebedev will definitely move out of the reserve berth. The others can perform better but for them to move out they will need to out perform decent 2nd strings. I'm in no doubt Lebedev will be a Leicester heat leader after the first set of figures out... He is more than capable of being Lions top Man this season..... Lebedev isn't starting at reserve. Riss & Ayres are the reserves for the start of the season, this was confirmed in an article on the Lions website about Riss. Riss starts on 6.85, Lebedev has been mentioned as coming in on a 7.00 average ,but not seen that confirmed anywhere. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hodgy 976 Posted February 21, 2017 Really? You rate him higher than me in that case. He's the only reserve without PL experience. He'll take points of others at Poole once dialled in but if he maintains his starting average he'll have done well. It appears so as you are not expecting anything. Maybe it is a step too far too quick but my comparison is based on the opposition reserves - don't see a lot in it with some. I see JS as a rapidly improving and ambitious young rider. Poole should give him the support and confidence to improve. Just my opinion. With no protected heats, he will need to be a match for the top 5 as well As will his opposite 7's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SomersetBlue 212 Posted February 21, 2017 Somerset Liecester Rye House Coventry Belle Vue (if rumoured team) King's Lynn Wolverhampton Swindon Poole 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,821 Posted February 21, 2017 Somerset Liecester Rye House Coventry Belle Vue (if rumoured team) King's Lynn Wolverhampton Swindon Poole I like how you have put the table upside down! Interesting prediction tho. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,780 Posted February 21, 2017 If it's a step too far too quick for Shanes then so it is for Bailey, Ayres, Greaves, Smith, Perks and Zak W too. I just think that his poor gating, lack of experience outside the third division and unfamiliarity with his home track make 2017 a particularly tall order for him. I hope all these riders prosper and do well as they are all British but in reality they are likely to be feeding off scraps. As long as they all improve that's all we can ask really. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paddy The Rebel 300 Posted February 21, 2017 James Shanes although a trier and entertainer is a poor gater and in my opinion is the weakest number 7 in the league. Bates and Ayres are certainly better. So to are Zach and Greaves. I would say Perks, Graversen and Bailey are better to but not by much. You on drugs no way on earth Greaves and Zach are better they are shocking cudnt score at pl level last year so how can you say there better you're living on cloud cuckoo land!! No way he's the worst no7 in the league imo could well be one of the best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hodgy 976 Posted February 21, 2017 If it's a step too far too quick for Shanes then so it is for Bailey, Ayres, Greaves, Smith, Perks and Zak W too. I just think that his poor gating, lack of experience outside the third division and unfamiliarity with his home track make 2017 a particularly tall order for him. I hope all these riders prosper and do well as they are all British but in reality they are likely to be feeding off scraps. As long as they all improve that's all we can ask really. That's what I'm saying GB, he's on a par with these 7's and improving. Each will have their day. Looks like most teams have that Sacrificial Lamb. Guess they will learn what it takes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 0 Posted February 22, 2017 All this thread proves is nobody really had a clue. Kings Lynn seem to be highly rated but I'm not seeing it. Holders average can only go one way, Lambert is decent but Batch has lost it and has done nothing to suggest he's going to get it back. Porsing couldn't get 7 in the PL last year and Rose should be OK. Huckenbeck was crap everywhere last year and they have experienced in reserve. Better than Swindon and Somerset though who between them only have Jake Allen and Adam Ellis that are decent signings. Rye House have a solid top 4 but they're hardly moving in the right direction are they? Weak at number 7, not bad reserve but still a few that are better and Robbo is just a bit meh as a signing these days. Poole have a great signing in Klindt, the two young Aussies are going the right way generally and Newman is a steady plodding rider. KK and Hans are as good a top 2 as you'll get. Shane's looks like the pick of the two pointers to me. Leicester have a smashing signing in Lebdevs if he takes to British tracks and is committed. You never know for sure how a new foreign rider will perform but well worth the risk. Kim Nilsson throws in too many lasts to be a decent number 1 but Riss is a decent signing. In fact as a reserve he's brilliant. Auty is just Auty. Wolberts poor and Ayres is poor value too. Wolves have Freddie on good value but that's negated by Thorsell whos poor value but I do like him and think he's a decent little rider. Average is biased by riding as a second string more than most on his average though. Masters is a tidy signing and Skornicki is more likely to be good than bad. Howarths an odd rider, I don't rate him but he did alright last year despite having a poor spell mid season. Clegg and Greaves are a terrible reserve pairing only beat to the title of leagues worst by Swindons pair. Coventry have a good number 1 on a bargain average in Bjerre, a solid number two in King who unlike most on his average spent all of last season as a heat leader. Garrity isn't great value on paper but his away form is pretty decent and he IS entertainment. Lasse Bjerre is another bargain, a prove 8-9 point PL man and 6 point EL man who had a tough 2016 coming back from injury and being at a club he had issues with - Watt aside I'm not seeing a better second string. Kerr had a good end to last season after coming back from a terrible injury in 2015, not the best signing but still a better #5 than most teams. Then we get to Sarj, he had a poor EL season in 2016 not helped by the fact that when he run into some form he ended up in the 1-5 and lost his form. How many other reserves have 1-5 experience? Christ most of them don't have much 1-5 PL experience and a dozen meetings aside for Glasgow Sarj has always been a second string at PL level. Probably wouldn't have had him back myself but I'm not sure why people think he's as bad as they do. Then at number 7 we have Josh Bates who is a decent signing and I expect to clean up at reserve against everyone except Poole and possibly Leicester. On his day CAN and does beat anyone. 1. Poole 2. Coventry 3. Rye house 4. Wolverhampton 5. Kings Lynn 6. Leicester 7. Swindon 8. Somerset God knows what route BV are going down but in Fricke, Cook and Worrall they should have a good top 3 and in Bewley a decent reserve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,821 Posted February 22, 2017 Wolves have Freddie on good value but that's negated by Thorsell whos poor value but I do like him and think he's a decent little rider. Average is biased by riding as a second string more than most on his average though. He rode 12 of the official 32 meetings (including play offs) at 3 or 5. So just under two thirds as a second string. In a weaker league he should easily make the top 10 averages for the year IMHO. Lasse Bjerre is another bargain, a prove 8-9 point PL man and 6 point EL man who had a tough 2016 coming back from injury and being at a club he had issues with He certainly wasn't an 8 pointer last season but like you say there appears big issues with him at Redcar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
