Predictions for 2023

[Yearbyred 1,107]

Redcar have a decent looking team and will be competitive again, but the lack of home track advantage will cost us aggregate points.

So a play off team but very much doubt we win the league.

Happy to be wrong though.

Glasgow or Poole will win the league.

[phillipsr 2,057]

What's named and rumoured to be named 

1. Redcar - Strong heat leaders, Decent second strings, good reserves (Think Shanes will be replaced pretty early on)

2. Plymouth - Strong 6 but Trigger will struggle 

3.Poole - Rumoured team doesn't look that great but sure changes will be made if needed 

4. Scunny - All round solid, best reserve in Kennedy 

5. Glasgow - Not convinced its as good a side as people are making out to be honest 

6. Edinburgh - Home track will see them right and probably the most exciting rider in the league in Pickering 

7. Oxford - To top heavy IMO, Top 3 will need to score around 35 every week, unless Heeps gets back to where he was a few years ago 

8. Berwick - Opposite problem to Oxford 

9. Birmingham - Just all round pretty bad 

 

[ragdoll64 647]

26 minutes ago, Yearbyred said:

Redcar have a decent looking team and will be competitive again, but the lack of home track advantage will cost us aggregate points.

So a play off team but very much doubt we win the league.

Happy to be wrong though.

Glasgow or Poole will win the league.

I would put Glasgow in the same category…….ie. no home track advantage. 

[Gazc 7,102]

My prediction abilities are absolutely dreadful.

So bearing that in mind I predict Edinburgh will win the league next season.

[topaz325 1,859]

I’ll wait till teams sorted outed.

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

1. Poole - If the rumoured team is correct, Pirates will be the team to beat again. I am taking it as read we all know the expected lineup. Top two are number ones and pretty rock solid. The Cook brothers improved beyond expectations. Ben Cook rode like a heat leader and still has plenty more to show. Zach was very impressive from mid season onwards. Both riding the Premiership will give them even more track time. Jack Thomas is a steal on a sub 5 average. And if it is Kyle Newman and Adam Roynon at reserve, they will have the beating of the majority of their rivals. After the first set of GS I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kyle and Jack swap places. 

2. Redcar - Looks a very good lineup. Strong heat leaders in Riss, Wright and King. The second strings are not as solid as Poole’s. James Shanes lives in Dorset so a long way to go for home meetings. Hume still has a little more to give. The reserves are not as strong as Poole’s. Edwards likely to swap with Shanes. Weak at 7.

3. Plymouth - Strongest team they have ever had and likely to go through the fixture list unbeaten at home. Will hand out some thrashings as well, meaning they will pick up lots of aggregate points. Howarth, Worrall and Barker are good heat leaders and Starke is on a bargain average. Gilkes returns from injury but showed great form around Plymouth before he hurt himself. On his travels not so good but lots of room to improve. Reserve Trigger looks a weak link and it depends who the final name is. The worry for other teams is keeping it close at Plymouth to be in with a chance of progressing in the playoffs. Plymouth could get an Exeter sized home advantage and the new points system is in their favour.

4. Glasgow - A good looking team, but not title favourites for me. Harris, Basso and especially Brennan are very good. But CH is not young and for BB this league is not his priority. Brennan has lots to give though. Vissing is well past his sell by date. Nowak should be solid at home, but away? Not so sure and Poland his priority. Complin is a very decent reserve. Pjiper will struggle away.

5. Oxford - Good heat leaders in Masters, Kerr and Nicholls. Masters likely to top the league averages again. Kerris good around Cowley. Scotty is now in the very twilight of his excellent career. Is this one season too many? Hopefully not. Heeps is a poor signing imo. Has done nothing in the last couple of seasons and surprised he got a berth. Dan Thompson would have been a much better option but team building points clearly gave Heeps the gig. Atkins and Killeen are very weak reserves. 

6. Edinburgh - Not as good as lasts years lineup imo. Cook and Pickering are solid heat leaders but CC is not the rider of a few seasons ago. Thomson, Fredericksen and Castagna are at their level and can go AWOL at times. Hook and Bickley are decent reserves and better than several clubs. Not a team to challenge.

7. Scunthorpe. Ryan Douglas is a great number one, but he lacks backup. Allen and Palm-Toft blow hot and cold. Mountain is far better than his average and should be a solid second string/third heat leader. Lambert is what he is, a second second string, and could well be swapping places with Kennedy at reserve. Joe Thompson is a decent number 7 and should improve.

8. Berwick - Jorgensen, Flint and Schlein will find the going tough against other clubs heat leaders. Flint is really a second string and Rory has had a year out. He sold all his gear so new machinery which could help or hinder him. Knudsen is a good second string with a future. Etheridge is at his level. Coles and Stoneman could both struggle against other reserves. 

9. Birmingham - Nick Morris is a good number one, but the rest of the team are journeymen, and I can’t see them getting off the bottom of the league. Each on their day will have decent/good meetings but up against the top teams should be beaten handsomely. I know that Brum have a limited budget but success brings in good crowds. A losing team and fans stay away. Getting the balance right is important and Brum are a heat leader short of that. I wish them well.

Poole the team to beat. But the real danger is the team Plymouth have built to get a huge home advantage. It would not surprise me to see 55-60+ scored at Plymouth on a regular basis which would be devastating to other teams in a playoff situation. 

Of course this prediction doesn’t take into account any injuries which May/will occur to teams during the course of the season. Roll on March and let’s enjoy!

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Steve Shovlar

[IronScorpion 1,407]

18 hours ago, lisa-colette said:

They can put Glasgow top if they want. They definitely be up there! If Poole is who I think it is then:

Scunny

Redcar

Glasgow

Poole

Plymouth

Edinburgh 

I will probably change by mind by tomorrow lol

I would go by those 6 being the top 6, after that, the play offs are a lottery.

Some posters saying it could be down to improving 2nd strings, who ride WITH their team leaders but it is a team game depending on who wants to WIN the heats until the end of season average manipulation of giving their team mate the glory of the better scoring position. Reserves WILL play a big part, not just in their heat 2 & 8 squabbles but picking up valuable points elsewhere. This, I feel, is where the 2 pointers will struggle. 

[Fromafar 10,378]

4 hours ago, Gazc said:

My prediction abilities are absolutely dreadful.

So bearing that in mind I predict Edinburgh will win the league next season.

If it happened,I’m sure the Samaritans could help you out.

[Tosh1218 593]

5 hours ago, FishersGate said:

Just a wild guess.

1.Poole - Always build great teams and the cook brothers will bring them glory again.

2. Glasgow - Fantastic team, full of entertainment. 

3. Redcar - Full of riders that are on the up. If Edwards can kick on then who knows. Great side again.

4. Plymouth - That heat leader trio is strong. Unbeaten at home I reckon for the gladiators next season. My dark horses.

5. Oxford - Best rider in the league plus a great captain. Kerr is a weapon also. I worry about the tail but Jenkins and heeps can claim a few scalps.  This one is hard to call

6. Edinburgh - They always build decent sides! If they sign cookie and get him going it's a decent side . The monarchs always provide a surprise.

7. Berwick - it's an ok team. Alot depends on Rory regaining his form and the progression with some of the younger riders. 

8. Birmingham - For all the hype from the promotion last season saying they were build an exciting play off challenging team next year...they haven't. Plus side though, they have a brilliant number 1 and hope Ben Pearson pushes on. Would like to be proved wrong .

 

All subject to change ofcourse. 

You’ve missed a team out as there is 9 teams in this year’s championship 

[Noelinho 925]

4 hours ago, ragdoll64 said:

I would put Glasgow in the same category…….ie. no home track advantage. 

Just because you can overtake doesn’t means there’s no a home track advantage. There absolutely is. The track still has plenty of options, tricks and variables that home riders know much better than visiting riders.

Also, just look at Glasgow’s home record. Aside from the playoff defeat, we’ve had a draw with Poole, which was an aberration, the results clearly show visiting teams don’t come to Ashfield and find it easy. If anything, most matches look closer on paper than in person because we try really hard to avoid winning any of the last five heats.

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

6 minutes ago, Noelinho said:

Just because you can overtake doesn’t means there’s no a home track advantage. There absolutely is. The track still has plenty of options, tricks and variables that home riders know much better than visiting riders.

Also, just look at Glasgow’s home record. Aside from the playoff defeat, we’ve had a draw with Poole, which was an aberration, the results clearly show visiting teams don’t come to Ashfield and find it easy. If anything, most matches look closer on paper than in person because we try really hard to avoid winning any of the last five heats.

It’s like saying there’s no home advantage at Belle Vue when clearly there is masses of it.

Edited December 22, 2022 by Steve Shovlar

[FishersGate 525]

34 minutes ago, Tosh1218 said:

You’ve missed a team out as there is 9 teams in this year’s championship 

Woops scunny have a decent team as well! If they go bust half way through il be right!!! 

[FishersGate 525]

6 hours ago, FishersGate said:

Just a wild guess.

1.Poole - Always build great teams and the cook brothers will bring them glory again.

2. Glasgow - Fantastic team, full of entertainment. 

3. Redcar - Full of riders that are on the up. If Edwards can kick on then who knows. Great side again.

4. Plymouth - That heat leader trio is strong. Unbeaten at home I reckon for the gladiators next season. My dark horses.

5. Oxford - Best rider in the league plus a great captain. Kerr is a weapon also. I worry about the tail but Jenkins and heeps can claim a few scalps.  This one is hard to call

6. Edinburgh - They always build decent sides! If they sign cookie and get him going it's a decent side . The monarchs always provide a surprise.

7. Berwick - it's an ok team. Alot depends on Rory regaining his form and the progression with some of the younger riders. 

8. Birmingham - For all the hype from the promotion last season saying they were build an exciting play off challenging team next year...they haven't. Plus side though, they have a brilliant number 1 and hope Ben Pearson pushes on. Would like to be proved wrong .

 

All subject to change ofcourse. 

I forgot about scunny....

 

Scunthorpe to finish 6th. Decent side that. Mountain should kick on and MPT is a great rider when fit. 

[ragdoll64 647]

34 minutes ago, Noelinho said:

Just because you can overtake doesn’t means there’s no a home track advantage. There absolutely is. The track still has plenty of options, tricks and variables that home riders know much better than visiting riders.

Also, just look at Glasgow’s home record. Aside from the playoff defeat, we’ve had a draw with Poole, which was an aberration, the results clearly show visiting teams don’t come to Ashfield and find it easy. If anything, most matches look closer on paper than in person because we try really hard to avoid winning any of the last five heats.

What are the “tricks”and “variables” you refer to?

[Fromafar 10,378]

Think it was Danny King saying the big advantage is in preparing the starts to suit home Team.Once a decent rider gets the set up right out of the starts that’s the main thing.