Islander15

Bowtell & Hunter announced. So Lakeside could use them as second strings and a strong top 3 of something like Morley, Mear & Wajtknecht or use Hunter as a star reserve, dependent on the points limit.

He said that the NHS waiting times means he won't be fit and he can't afford to go private.

My point was that the Dugards are probably waiting until the points limit is set so that they can sign further riders. There's no point in having a quality number 1 on a big average but then the points limit decreasing. They've signed 3 riders so it's hardly as if they're slacking and those 3 were obviously in all permutations. Look at Rye House last year! The secret to a good team isn't about having a good number 1, it's about finding riders who can improve their average which is why the Eagles thought it's important to sign up Brennan & Wood quickly (and they must rate Coles too) as opposed to signing top end riders first. Having said all that, it's obvious that Eastbourne and other clubs will have spoken to more riders than the Ines they've signed so they won't have to pick up the scraps, they'll just pick up the phone and offer a contract because the details will have already been discussed!

Isn't that exactly the point? Wait until the points limit is set.

Drury says he'll be losing '3, potentially even 4' of the 2016 Brummies. One is Perry but the other 2 look like Wajtknecht and Ritchings. So it should be JPB, Smith, Hume and Bacon plus 3 more. I wouldn't be surprised if the one he's undecided on is Bacon because he did so well last year there looks to be the least room for average improvement from him.

No, Arnie is right. All rides count towards your averages but averages are multiplied by 4 to make 12.00 a maximum. Points/rides*4

Reading all the talk of 2 changes, I think it'd be massively unfair on the second rider. Chesssll would be good for only 1 or 2 points from 3 rides anyway, so signing another 2 pointer isn't going to make a massive difference.

What's that supposed to mean? This year's Brummie reserves didn't ride more than 3 league meetings in 2015, so as to protect their 3.00 average.

Maybe just to ensure that all clubs actually offer appropriate concessionary rates.

Hopefully he'll get a shot in 2018 at the Raceway then. Kingston's a Lakeside asset though so it might be his last chance at the sport, given his questionable commitment.

Neither rode for more than 6 league meetings! In fact both only rode 3 league meetings so that they'd be on a 3.00 average and they both only rode NT, NLKOC etc so that those meetings don't count towards an average. Which is exactly the same as Brennan has done this season.

Well we don't know until Tues, but most clubs seem to think it'll stop at 40. No way can I see it dropping below 38.

1. Ben Morley 9.22 2. Danno Verge 4.43 3. Jack Kingston 5.84 4. Shane Hazelden 5.42 5. Zach Wajtknecht 8.59 6. Drew Kemp 3.00 7. From the Hagon Academy 3.00 Total: 39.50

What does it say about Hopwood?

But guests need an established match average and when a 3.00 rider fills in they aren't technically a guest, they're a 3.00 unattached rider.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Burton sign for a 'bigger' club. He was impressive before he got injured but then didn't seem the same rider, giving him a potentially falsely low average.

1. Matt Williamson 9.49 2. Ryan Burton 3.37 3. Lee Dicken 5.87 4. Shelby Rutherford 4.45 5. Tom Woolley 4.90 6. Kean Dicken 3.00 7. Lee Geary 3.00 Totoal: 34.08

Sheffield look the best team with Glasgow & Ipswich also making the play-offs. But the fourth team doesn't look clear cut, and it could be a dark horse from Redcar, Berwick or Workington.

He should be one of the best riders in the league next year, so a very good signing.

Exactly, which is why Brennan could only do 3 meetings despite not being declared in the Eagles side. Also Bebee got declared in the Mildenhall team.

Great team. Favourites so far.

A great first signing!

The NL shouldn't drop the limit to 2.00, when the majority of new 3.00 riders attain an average just above a 3.00 anyway! It's often the same riders who are useless that perennially hit between a 2 and 3 average.

That's a fair point also. Pipe may spout so strange opinions sometimes but he definitely lets supporters know what's going on and that should be commended! I'd much rather be in that position and be a Buxton fan than a supporter of a club who doesn't know what going on unless they hear things on the grapevine. Buxton's PR at keeping fans up to date is very good between Pipe on the website, Mark Northall on social media and Jayne on here!

Harsh reply. He only asked a question.