Leaderboard

Can’t believe many teams will be that desperate!

Considering the lowering of standards, Brum like Eastie, have little choice but to move up. Kent should be going with them. All three clubs have outgrown the NL.

glad Claus has signed for Glasgow for 19 . great news for comets fans . phew ! sides coming together . thats one off the list .

enter gazc , stage right .

Nope - the new track and riding with Doyley will be good for him

if we did sign stevie and he got injured we could always make all other teams switch race night

He'd be correct then.......

Just a thank you to Ged for keeping fans updated with riders/ team manager selections although there is nothing concrete for us to consume at present , it's good to know that things are being sorted behind the scenes and it doesn't take much just to keep fans informed rather than to say nothing .

I based my team on Berge being a 4 anyhow. Doyle - 9.8 An other - 4.9 (or 5.06 if Adam has a reduction) - Jake Allen fits Ellis - 6.42 (or 6.26 with a reduction) Musielak - 6.52 Morris - 6.60 Zach - 4.26 (he should get a reduction) Berge - 4

Very good signing for Swindon, could improve again in my opinion.

Fricke 8.20 Bjerre 7.02 Bewley 7.31 Allen 4.56 Cook 7.73 Berge 4.00 Nielsen 3.67 = 42.49

I think you may get your wish of a Zach/Dmitri reserve pairing.

Welcome back Muesli

Completely agree Personally, I can understand why any league would reduce its points limits if clubs were making substantial financial losses or there was an increase in the number of teams. Here, though, to my knowledge only one of the existing teams might be losing money badly and the league is now smaller than before. Given that last season there was a strong movement to increase the points limit (with 10 teams competing) it is most difficult to appreciate why they have chosen to use 36 for 2019. The 36 only becomes 38 for all clubs if 16 2.00point riders are available. They're not, and this only gives more of an advantage to those who are able to pick up one of the more talented youngsters available on that average. People won't be fooled into paying last years prices for a weakened league without many of its top stars, forced up because they cannot be accommodated. In 2018, the NL managed to combine the successful development of some of most capable young riders with accommodating some of the league's crowd pullers - the Roynon's, Morley's and Ayres'. For me, it worked extremely well and I just can't see why that has been changed.

Riders ride in number of leagues in a number of countries. As a young and up and coming rider you should aspire to ride against the best opposition. And the best opposition you can race against is out in Poland, at this moment. Young Drew has the potential to go very far in the sport and by the looks of it his ambition matches this, it should not be knocked and I am pleased that he has chosen to ride for our team to try and move his career along. .

Nice to see a couple of good young prospects getting their chance at reserve.

Kings Lynn would be perfect then

Claus Vissing back at Glasgow

A poor signing for any team!

I have a slightly different view on the team that has been assembled. Schlein and Harris are two of the best modern day team riders and both have room for improvement. Moreover, they are team men through and through. Rowe and Atkins are a risk at reserve, but there won’t be too many other teams that will be strong in that department either. I’m hoping Rory and Bomber will be an integral part in bringing these youngsters on. I certainly don’t buy into the “last season payout” syndrome where Schlein is concerned He is a fierce competitor and a real winner, as is Harris. Berge is an excellent signing and always looks good around the OTA. plenty of point scoring room for manoeuvre with him Kurtz knows his way around Somerset and will seamlessly slot back into the team. You know what you’re going to get with Todd. 100% effort wherever he rides. I can see him riding in the difficult number 2 position and at least maintaining his average. Nico Covatti I predict will be the star of the season, and will continue his superb performances for the Rebels fear not, this is a playoff side, so don’t be surprised if there is more silverware this coming season.

distance from workington to his home WILL be a major issue in him not becoming a comet in 19. a local lad in steve compared to doon theare where ben lives . wozza gets my vote , but if its ben , its ben !

The four options in the second semi presumably the ones they wish they'd thought of first time round.

Glasgow say 2019 could be the last year they could take £100,000 losses. We need to see which riders they have signed but my guess will be new riders all on top money again with massive bonus payments again all cherry picked from other clubs by dangling massive signing fees again. That's the only reason why I don't want Glasgow to win anything at all. They are great fans but I'm not into this fantasy speedway team building.

Steve Worrall would definitely be a good signing as I think last seasons broken leg curtailed what should of been a massive year so a big track like derwent park would really suit him .

Those who are true and loyal Bandits fans who buy a season ticket every season will buy one anyhow, whether 0 riders, or all 7 riders, or any number in between have been announced.

Sadly Geoff, Rasmus is off to pastures new, but we will end up with 7 guys who want to ride for us

Bucking awful

Rumours rife he's dropping in at Workington first for the season on route

Definitely won't be Leicester Cubs - there's a Twitter poll and the options are, err, Rapids, Sliders, Broncos, and Magic.

Really don’t understand the need to add ‘must have been in the CL / NL’. Just give the reduction to all British riders, that haven’t previously rode for another country.

#1 A N other #3 Mason #5 S O Else Would be my guess!

Sad to see Buxton,the only Team who tried to compete with spirit which the league was set up but were outgunned in the end by glory hunters paying over the odds to riders for success.

I dont really understand this lowering points to let talent through it seems a load of nonsense to me as long as the points limit is not ridiculously high.If the points limit was say 42.5in the NL do you think kent would not of signed dan gilkes or the thompson twins going to leicester ??? Do me a favour talent will always find its way through.. the low ponits limit just means we have to watch the likes of ryan mcdonald,jamie laker,aaron butcher ,kiearon douglas and joe alcock trail round half a lap behind everybody else ...all a low point limit does is cut out a young decent rider who has done well and make you select a rider who is useless but for some reason the future utter joke.

Just goes to show that sometimes even the "brighter NL promoters" make a mess of it. The limit has been set to encourage new blood and promote closer standard throughout the sides then they all sneak off and sign one big hitter. I don't like restrictions of any point and upper average limits don't really work BUT if promotions realised that signing balanced sides throughout the league would create a better and more sustainable product over all thing can start to make positive steps forward.

Please be patient ...news on the way!

I have always inwardly scoffed at the people who claim NL to be a ten quid league. With the weakening of the standard for 2 successive seasons the price point really has to be lowered significantly too.

Alun Rossiter made a similar comment about keyboard warriors. These are your customers guys !!!!!!

Don't have a problem with Glasgow paying riders exactly what they want, just don't come out in the Speedway Star moaning you are losing money and things can't continue as they are.

Comets named team of the year tonight at Cumbria sports awards, yay! Wonder if they’ll have room for yet another trophy?

You seem very interested in Morris. I’m sure you will find out in good time and put you out of your misery. He will have signed a contract before he flew home and it will be announced in due course. Who that’s for we will all have to wait and see!

I hope so!

The only thing which will prevent the Robins coming to the tapes in 2019 is if the stadium closes. The fact that there are greyhounds now being arranged well into next season is a positive. Forget the stadium re-development, that'll never happen.

Good start to team building for the Robins. If Doyle, Musielak and Morris are your top 3 it's strong and not so expensive in averages. 1. J.Doyle 9.80 2. B.Wilson-Dean 5.14 3. T.Musielak 6.52 4. A.Ellis 6.26 5. N.Morris 6.60 6. Z.Wajtknecht 4.26 7. Stefan Nielsen 3.68 Ave: 42.26 Stefen Nielsen's average will be Championship converted due to not enough 2018 Premiership meetings. I think that above will be plenty strong enough to challenge for the Premiership Title.

You mean a bit like 2017 when he was a 6.5 point rider finishing second in the averages around somerset riding as a heat leader all year? just saying!

What’s Belle Vue got to do with it? This is in the Championship, Auty might be better around EWR but Worrall is a better overall rider. He will add to his average whilst Auty won’t in my opinion.

Without looking back, I think THJ gave that impression, maybe Mason would be surprised too. Having said that if most of them are going to be around the same average then maybe, roll on the next one.. S. Worral has been mentioned elsewhere in relation to the Comets..

Difficult to judge until other sides are complete but there's a lot of question marks over that side. Could do well but wouldn't be a surprise if it was nearer the bottom either. Schlein on paper is a good signing but is in his last season before retiring, will that have an impact? As the season goes on, it would be natural to just start thinking more about staying safe especially with the injuries he's had over the years. Don't see too much improvement if any in Harris, no matter the level he will be inconsistent and have his fair share of poor meetings which is why his average is always around the same figure. Berge has the potential for a healthy increase but you think that every season, it never seems to happen and he ends up moving on. Kurtz has probably reached his level. The 2 reserves have good potential but both are very young still, neither are quite in the top level of the NL and whilst most other reserves will be from the 3rd tier they will likely have a little more experience.

On bspa website ty blaming the distance he had to travel from home in sheffield to workington as a reason for leaving ohdear i can do more miles in a day and again the day after and so on , pretty lame reason me thinks !

i'd take that i think Iversen will up his average considerably if at Peterborough, i'm not sure KL suited him after his shoulder injury. Wright is superb around the showground and Tofty can be also. very strong reserves there too, as if Allen/BWD move into the top 5, it will possibly mean, well any of them would be good

No basis other than end of season speculations fuelled by the promotions press release. I certainly hope they do return to the tapes this year as i have had only good things about the current setup.