2024 Premiership Predictions

[Wee Eck 703]

42 minutes ago, uk_martin said:

As do we all. But here's a prediction that I'd be delighted to be proven wrong...namely that the Brummies #1 won't be revealed until the last minute (or some time in March in any case)

And don't forget the new criteria for signing riders - it has to be a name that the team manager can pronounce properly. 

Can or can’t? I seem to recall him raving about, I assume, a Scottish rider at Lakeside or Eastbourne called McKorpy. First name Kill

[Call me wolfie 677]

3 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

Can or can’t? I seem to recall him raving about, I assume, a Scottish rider at Lakeside or Eastbourne called McKorpy. First name Kill

Don’t mention him, you’ll start off the 2016 brigade again!!!

[noaksey 345]

6 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

Can or can’t? I seem to recall him raving about, I assume, a Scottish rider at Lakeside or Eastbourne called McKorpy. First name Kill

Ha ha brilliant 

 

[therefused 819]

Ipswich

Sheffield

Leicester

Kings Lynn

Belle Vue

Oxford

Birmingham

 

 

[PotteringAround 633]

1.  IPSWICH  -   Massive top 2.   King on the wane but still a competent 3rd heat-leader.  If Ellis can regain form they will walk the league.  Rew will improve and reserves are competent.

2.  BELLE VUE - 5 riders returning, and only Kurtz can't push his average higher.  Cook potentially stronger than Wright, but Mountain a big downgrade on Brennan.  Considering they had to shed a lot of points, they've done OK.

3.  LEICESTER -  Fricke a genuine No.1, and Masters, Lawson, Becker, Douglas all heat leaders.   Only the reserves are weak.

4.  SHEFFIELD - Two quality GP riders in Woffinden and Holder jr.  (One on the way down and one on the way up).  Holder snr could be the weak link.  Howarth is OK and Pickering can improve.  Reserves a little suspect.

5.  OXFORD - Can Janowski be a genuine No.1?  I think so.  Solid back-up 2-5, even if they're all a little past their best, they can all still perform.  Should have a good reserve.

6.  KING'S LYNN -  I rate Musielak.  Basso and Tarasenko have a lot of potential.  NKI and Palm-Toft will need to perform for Lynn to reach play-offs.  Will have a strong reserve always.

7.  BIRMINGHAM -  I just hope they can pull off two top signings to at least make them competitive at home.   We don't need a team to be cannon fodder and fold.

 

[bigcatdiary 3,165]

Belle Vue - Good top 4 but will need regular points from Blodorn to improve their chances, Reserves are suspect.

Birmingham - Not enough top end strength and they will struggle on the road, battling out with Lynn for the Wooden Spoon I fear.

Ipswich - Quality top 2 and good middle order, Jenkins and Rew are the keys and I expect them to shine.

Kings Lynn - Solid enough on paper but a lot of question marks as Saddlebox is chalk and cheese to Alwalton.

Leicester - Good no 1 and a very solid top 5 but have paid the price at reserve.

Oxford - Another solid 1-5 on paper but big question marks for some of them, especially Tungate & Klindt.

Sheffield - Heat leaders are good and reasonable back up but reserves are suspect, a lot depends on how Chris Holder and Pickering go.

I think Ipswich look the best based on top end strength and potential closely followed by Belle Vue, Leicester and Sheffield with Oxford, Lynn and Birmingham fighting it out at the other end.

[Panther1997 228]

1	Ipswich
2	Leicester
3	Belle Vue
4	Sheffield
5	King's Lynn
6	Oxford
7	Birmingham

Edited January 22 by Panther1997

[Najjer 2,890]

Struggling to see what people are seeing in the Belle Vue side that puts them near the top of the league? I think it’s one of the poorer Belle Vue sides assembled for a number of years and based on how they line up currently, I would have them 6th in the league. Poor reserves too. Same goes for Sheffield which could be their downfall especially on nights when Chris Holder or Woffinden don’t fancy it.

Oxford has the makings of being a team that could batter any team in the league on their day, but then put up 35 points at home the following night. They are very hard to predict. 

King’s Lynn are my dark horses, especially if Wojydo hits the ground running. I don’t think they will win the league but they should upset a few. 
 

Ipswich are favourites for me by a considerable margin.

Edited January 22 by Najjer

[BluTiger 21,700]

1.	Oxford
2.	Sheffield
3.	Ipswich
4.	Leicester
5.	King's Lynn
6.	Belle Vue
7.	Birmingham

[SpeedwayFan91 101]

1 hour ago, Najjer said:

Struggling to see what people are seeing in the Belle Vue side that puts them near the top of the league? I think it’s one of the poorer Belle Vue sides assembled for a number of years and based on how they line up currently, I would have them 6th in the league. Poor reserves too. Same goes for Sheffield which could be their downfall especially on nights when Chris Holder or Woffinden don’t fancy it.

Oxford has the makings of being a team that could batter any team in the league on their day, but then put up 35 points at home the following night. They are very hard to predict. 

King’s Lynn are my dark horses, especially if Wojydo hits the ground running. I don’t think they will win the league but they should upset a few. 
 

Ipswich are favourites for me by a considerable margin.

I pretty much agree with all of this tbh 

[TTT 1,228]

1. IPSWICH (Weak links replaced with a GB International on a bargain average and young Brit on the up in Jenkins)

2. SHEFFIELD (Took a gamble by going top heavy but it's worked out like a treat because most teams are going with two young Brits at reserve)

3. OXFORD (Underrated side, Will start slow due to riders coming back from injury but once they get going then this 1-7 will be dangerous, Solid from top to bottom)

4. LEICESTER (Will not lose at Home with too many track specialists and Heat winners in their 1-7, Will nick a couple of wins on the road too against the weaker sides)

5. BELLE VUE (I think it's the weakest side they've put out in a few years, It needs various riders to step up for everything to click and it's one ask too many imo)

6. KING'S LYNN (Will win at Home regularly but away form will be non existent imo)

 

I hope I'm wrong on this last one but..............................BIRMINGHAM (Won't see out the season, The fans will turn up early in the season mainly to watch the oppositions riders but the novelty will soon wear off and they'll walk away leaving it not viable for racing to continue for the rest of the season imo)

Edited January 23 by TTT

[Wee Eck 703]

23 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

Leicester, Oxford and Ipswich look play off material to me bar the usual injury caveats. Between Lynn and Sheffield for the final spot maybe. 
Wouldn’t write Belle Vue off either as although their current side won’t get in for me, I’d expect them to make the necessary changes fairly quickly. They probably won’t be the only ones to do that either which makes predicting anything almost impossible really. 

When in recent years have Belle Vue made “the necessary changes fairly quickly”? I know they brought Lambert in a couple of years ago but that was to do with an injury and not because a rider was underperforming. 

[Arch Stanton 2,255]

1 minute ago, Wee Eck said:

When in recent years have Belle Vue made “the necessary changes fairly quickly”? I know they brought Lambert in a couple of years ago but that was to do with an injury and not because a rider was underperforming. 

Zagar the season before last when they went on to win it? Controversially if I remember at the time. 

[Wee Eck 703]

10 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

Zagar the season before last when they went on to win it? Controversially if I remember at the time. 

My recollection is different - Jake Allen was signed as a stop gap as BV had to declare a 1-7 but Zagar was always the target. He was in the line up for the Peter Craven and was being “spoken to” then. 

[Arch Stanton 2,255]

1 minute ago, Wee Eck said:

My recollection is different - Jake Allen was signed as a stop gap as BV had to declare a 1-7 but Zagar was always the target. He was in the line up for the Peter Craven and was being “spoken to” then. 

Allen wasn’t announced as a “temporary” signing at the time was he. You then had the grey area of the “rule” that no changes could be made after the season started which opened up a huge can of worms as I’m sure you know. Ipswich also made a change after Heeps started the season appallingly during the same timeframe that lead some to think the “rules” meant no changes permitted before LEAGUE fixtures had started. Plenty weren’t convinced and as usual, there was a lack of transparency to the rule. Anyway you asked for an example and I’ve given you one. Time will tell if Belle Vue make changes IF they don’t start too well. I think they will but I personally hope they don’t because I don’t see this team being a title threat.