Hunters

Not sure exactly what point you are referring to! Surely they don't turn up at the meeting and if its a point limit they like they say we run otherwise we are out.? If you mean the planning of the team makeup, that is not the issue as you do not need to know the limit to get a good No 1 which is essential and 5 teams already have. When I refer to planning I mean such things as knowing the number of teams and their race nights, which controls the number of meetings and available dates, whether a team can fit the Trophy into their season etc. I have to re-iterate the point as I was making it, that if they have decided against the NL this year no purpose is served in waiting until the AGM to say so as their original Lease and Managerial problems were resolved in time to enter the new Premiership over a month ago. Back on the original tack if any team (& I was referring specifically to my own) has not got their No 1 lined up they are going to be left with the left overs. As an aside if any team is holding back thinking they might have a 42 or more limit to enable them to dig out from somewhere a 10 or 11 pointer then they are taking a terrible risk because if the limit comes down to 38 they will find most of the best 8 pointers gone.

Two days to the AGM and still no sign of who is our No1. With so many potential No 1's moving up the leagues and several teams getting in early to sign up some of the best available the list is getting thinner and thinner. With Morley looking certain to be at Lakeside, Bewlay at Belle Vue , possibly Zach at Brum there is not much left, so Kyle Hughes looks odds on. Whilst I like Mark Baseby, not as No 1 we really need an approximately 8.5 pointer to be competitive in the final heats. I am sure Martin will have something up his sleeve but is keeping us in suspense. It could be that Belle Vue and Coventry will still be in the League because they have had over a month since their AGM to announce their intention not to run, as indeed Rye House did, what is the point in waiting until Tuesday and making the others revise their planning at the last moment.

Delighted to see BWD get a place this year. He wont let you down, a real racer who never gives up. We were gutted to lose him last year at Arlington because of the rule change. As a life long 'Posh' fan but never a Panther (E o E S G did not exist then) I will follow them this year and hope to get a chance to see him when visiting family up there.

Interesting comment from Dan Bewlay on signing for Glasgow. He is apparently potentially riding NL on Fridays. Who rides Fridays next year? Belle Vue or Plymouth?

We need a number one and there are not many real ones around now with so many moving up. Could it be Kyle Hughes again. Hope he has fully recovered from last years injuries.

Hope the Coles news is right, I wanted him but thought Mildenhall would prefer him to Mountain. Surely now they must go for, Perks Dugard Coles Hopwood Wood Brennan A N Other(3.91) Anybody's guess at No 7. Looks a very strong team with the seeming absence from the NL of Ellis, Knight, Clegg, Morris,Carr and Brandford?.

I cannot agree with that. Sure Ellis, Morris, probably Clegg and Branford will be moving up which just goes to show how the NL is giving these riders track time and experience to develop and move on. However look at the improvement this year of newcomers JPB, Bewlay, Smith and Thomas plus 2nd year improvers like Perks, Wood, Hume, Bacon & others. They will be taking over the mantle next year with another crop of youngsters headed by Bickley, Brennan and Jenkins coming along. I see the NL at a high point and likely to continue so with Plymouth and Lakeside coming in. I just hope Coventry and Belle Vue continue to run NL

That would leave Coles free because the four of them come to 32.30 and they would still be over the top of 40 even with three 3.0 pointers surely?

Bad news about Jake, I thought he was certain for next year after his comments on the PA System about wanting to still be here in two years time. How do we replace him? Dan Greenwood could be a problem he never looked the same after his bad accident 18 months ago Ben Hopwood probably remembers being dropped last year and Richard Andrews comeback from injury with Cradley was something of a disaster. I would not have them just because their averages are low, it does not mean they will recover their old 'glory' Although I might be persuaded with Ben due to the attention he got from Martin Dugard in 2015 which certainly helped him. Cannot see any team letting their top guys go so have to look at Morley or Brandford who are a bit high for our balance. Birmingham have to release somebody but I don't fancy Perry round Arlington. That more or less means James Shanes now that Bowen and Thomas have rejoined Kent unless Ayres goes to Cradley and Shanes stays put. Maybe we have to go with Kyle Hughes again and hope he does not struggle after his bad year of injuries. He certainly looked good in his two races last year before his crash. Nervous times for the Eagles and Ellis Perks has got to be a must have.

Touche, I was remembering George White of Swindon back in the 50's . Have to rely on nostalgia in the winter months.

Now the final averages are out I think we will line up :- Jake Knight 8.53 Kelsey Dugard 4.28 Georgie White 7.62 Gary Cottham 4.70 Ellis Perks 8.25 Tom Brennan 3.00 An Other 3.00 ------- 39.38 Have no idea who they will come up with at No 7 but guess it may be somebody new to Speedway. There does not seem an alternative on similar average to Cottham but an alternative could be Charley Powell (4.05) at No4 and George Hunter (4.00) at No 7. 39.38

I have deliberately overlooked him because he will be 26 and has been around for several years. Could be another Strudwick? Rather give a youngster a go.

And Bickley, Going to be a very interesting season.

Very much hope you are right and he stays at Mildenhall. Although I would certainly like him at Arlington it is important that the bright young talents get spread around a bit and Fen Tigers are due a bit of a shot in the arm.

That would be a great team with Brennan and Jenkins moving into the main body after 4 but I think there is no way they will get Jenkins. Everybody will want him.

I think you are spot on except for Phillips. Really did not impress me. There has to be better out there, I am assuming Jenkins is out of reach but I would like to see them get Joe Lawlor. If Belle Vue don't run you can bet Birmingham will 'buy' Kyle Bickley but we might tempt Joe.

Not so sure about that If I read it right the 1.4 conversion makes Adam 7.84. I think he will be back at Poole who have 50 points to use in the New PL and surely would make him a good capture in the new CL. I can see him doubling up in the 2 new leagues. His NL average is sure to rule him out of the NL which has no challenges for him now. He is simply too good but we will follow his career and hope he really succeeds as he was an enormous help to us this year and broadened his fan base for sure.

Because Eastbourne tried Thursday and it was a disaster.?

When is the NL AGM?

With all this who- ha about the rules the performance of the two lads recently up from the Youth Championship has not been given the credit they deserve. For Brummies JPB gave the eagles a real gating lesson and beat all bar Adam Ellis whom he did not meet. Bomber Harris failed to achieve his full potential because of poor gating but if JPB carries on like this he really will reach great heights. Amazing what a weeks difference makes. The previous week 7 rides 9 points and only beat Powell and Brennan apart from an inexplicable Wood fall when well clear, perhaps this explains the thinking behind the 8 day rule? For the Eagles Tom Brennan was superb, he in his turn beat all the Brummies except Tom Bacon and that included JPB. He never hit the gate in front but he is a year behind JPB and also looks to have a great future. This must reflect all the tremendous work done by Neil Vatcher and bodes well for the future of Team GB. I always go to the Round at Eastbourne, it is a pity that few do. Thanks Neil for what you are doing for our sport.

So we are still in the dark. Only 7+ hours to tapes up on the final home meeting of the season and we don't know if Shanes is eligible or not and we don't even know if Georgie Wood is available or officially what the teams are. There has been nothing on the web site at all about this match. I don't like to criticise after the performance of the last two seasons but it looks like a bad week for the promoters. Talking about Georgie he was said to be off for personal reasons and I believe is partner is expecting. Yet he was off on the Wednesday, back on the Sunday, and off again on the Wednesday. Today who knows? Surely Birmingham is only a couple of hours further from Maidstone than Eastbourne.

Go back and read a few posts either here or on the Eastbourne thread. I was asking whether the 8 day rule (banning a rider from guesting on the same away track within 8 days) applied in the NL, as this could have been why they put out an inadequate replacement for Wood instead of Connor Coles who they used the previous Week. I then said this would also preclude Shanes from riding tomorrow. The fact that he apparently is, means the rule does not apply to the NL. Why did Coles not ride Wednesday and more important why have they simply not communicated with the supporters as to their thinking when it was so obvious that they had put out a team of litle hope. Nobody answered my question on the 8 day rule so we are probably all in the dark.

If Shanes is eligible why did Coles not ride Wednesday. The plot thickens what were they up to?

Essentially a 3 man team it will be hard to get the 39 points they need. Those three will have to ride their socks off and no falls or engine problems. Presumably the 8 day guest rule meant no Coles and will also mean no Shanes on Sunday so one trophy each could be the result. None of us can complain about that.