Ben91

9.22, converted averages are rounded up. Good signing, not as impressive as that of Nicholls as Harris can't trap and that's half the battle round Rye but he's an out and out racer, knows all the old EL tracks and generally does well on the domestic scene. We're showing signs of intent, looking forward to the rest of the announcements this week.

Poland is one race day a week, better from an organisational standpoint than riding in the Championship. As said above, it's a shop window opportunity, Polish promoters don't care about the British Leagues, they're more likely to pick up on a top rider in their third division. He's 18, he's doing well enough for an 18 year old rider, he's head and shoulders our best rider under-21, he'll probably be Britain's number two by the time he is 20. Some would say Ellis has shown more ambition, some would say it is more of a gamble because he'll barely get a look in over there if he struggles in his first appearances. Lambert is going about things under the radar somewhat, I feel that Ellis is being set up for a fall with his high average for 2016 and the fact that he's had to look abroad for rides because of that high average he is now saddled with here.

You've said it yourself, it isn't the EL anymore. Kennett isn't an out and out number one perhaps but he's a heatleader for sure and his starting average is realistic. Compare us to Swindon for example, Doyle (13.42) and Ellis (7.84) add up to 21.26, Eddie (9.27) and Nicholls (9.23) add up to 18.5. I know which pairing is better value there from a team building standpoint. Harris' average from the EL is less than Kennett's EL figure if we do have to use that as a reference point. Furthermore if Kennett was to come in on a converted EL figure rather than his PL figure he'd be on a 10.03 average, that suggests his 9.27 average isn't a bad one to sign him on at all.

Eddie Kennett, if signed as expected, comes in on an average just higher than Nicholls'. Strength in depth will be key in this league, the promotion at Poole are known for building winning sides, not employing riders out of a sense of loyalty (releasing Chris Holder being a prime example). If they are going down the strength in depth route too it's encouraging to see us approaching things in the same manner. There's lot of talk about Thomas Jorgensen, there's usually no smoke without fire, I can see something along the lines of: 1. Kennett 2. Robson 3. Jorgensen 4. NBJ 5. Nicholls 6. Branford 7. Kasper/Heeps. Not how I'd have done things perhaps but doesn't look like a team of whipping boys.

He'll get regular rides out there and put himself in the shop window for higher tier teams. It's not as odd as it sounds, I'm sure he'd rather be riding regularly and getting a regular paycheck than signing for a bigger club and not getting picked every week. He's still young and developing, the more he races the better for him.

Good signing. Wasn't too sharp around Belle Vue last year so his average obviously suffered a little because of that. A max at Lakeside in the play-offs showed that he can still do it on a small track. A big name signing in British Speedway terms and not one on a ridiculously high average. Starts on an average lower than Eddie and I'd expect them to be the top two. Both should hold their averages, still gives us scope to have sufficiently string reserves too.

Miles better than Strudwick but never going to be more than an NL three pointer. Been around for about ten years too.

The sport is too expensive to watch, there's no adequate justification for it either. 15 heats of Speedway at £18 works out at £1.20 a heat. You can watch a football league match just up the road at Stevenage for £18, that works out at 20p per minute of entertainment. The new Premiership is marginally stronger than the old Premier League, paying £18 for it is too much. Paying £16 for Premier League racing, especially with the team we had last year, was too much as it was.

Kurtz, Howarth, Proctor, Bjerre, Bates, Branford, JPB?

Who knew the risks he was taking every time he put his leg over a motorbike. People don't ride speedway for the sake of the sport or the fans, they do it for their own enjoyment knowing fully well that they could be seriously injured or worse. Ward is a polarising character, always has been and I suspect he always will be, particularly if people keep biting every time he tweets.

Oh no, Darcy Ward is upset that the strength of the top league in Britain is weaker now. Big deal.

It isn't a money making opportunity. You wouldn't attract any more fans, the riders would want more money and you'd have to charge fans more to watch in the first place, which they won't do.

Ellis never looked comfortable with the track at Rye in his PL days. I like him and hope he gets fixed up but his average is a gamble, anyone saying otherwise is kidding themselves. Can't see him or Rye House being a good fit for one another.

In a league where teams can be made up entirely of seven point riders having your two reserves adding up to around nine between them isn't wise. Then having a five pointer in a second string berth is not smart at all. Points gained by reserves count just as much as those gained by big hitting heat leaders on averages that they can't possibly achieve. Strength in depth will win over going top heavy next year.

Far too long in the tail that side. NBJ comes in on a 6.98 as well so it'd be over the points limit and converted averages are rounded up so Tai would be 9.85.

In the EL perhaps, but this isn't the EL. I'd bet he'll finish closer to his starting average than Doyle does.

Cook, Fricke, both Worralls, Jacobs, Bewley, Williamson?

Five of the side that were so poor in the 2016 Premier League is a no go for me. Don't see the attraction of Kim Nilsson either, especially on that average. Just because we can sign a 'world class' rider, it doesn't mean we should do so. The team should be made up to win the league. I think signing riders on averages they have no chance of achieving could be the undoing of many teams. Eddie's 9.27 doesn't look that attractive to me but I expect him to sign on and if so I think it should be as number one. If we could sign a Schlein, Batchelor or even Watt (although I'm not wanting to have too many Lakeside connections) as back up to Eddie that wouldn't be a bad thing. If there was any chance of brining in Sam Masters I'd also take it. I still think Branford should be in the side, preferably as the seventh averaged rider. NBJ and Robbo should be under consideration as well, though realistically I think there's only room for one of them if the team is to be competitive. Kasper and Lanham were no goes for me in the Premier League, Heeps and Morley would have been in the team in the second division but I don't think either is to a standard to take a place in the top league just yet. Both will probably be highly sought after in the Championship on their current averages though.

Watt, Batch, Schlein, Holder, Branford, Bewley, 2 Pointer (Perks?) would come in under 40.

If he's signed a contract on the same points money or better than last year he'd be foolish not to ride in what is a weaker league where he will undoubtedly clean up.

I can't see anything that says two pointers are only allowed in the Championship (going to take some time to get used to a Premiership and Championship rather than EL and PL). Think a fair few Prem sides will go with a two or three pointer at the bottom to make up for a big number one.

BSPA Twitter account confirmed that it is x1.4 not +1.4.

I'd personally prefer Masters and Watt as you'd always be guaranteed a strong reserve and I reckon that could be key. Newman may struggle to reach a six point average in this league IMO.

Only Ellis as far as I can see. He has a PL average from 2014 but that would probably be unrealistically low. The EL averages since the fast track draft was introduced and the protected reserve heats that came with it have been a farce. So yes, he attained the average fair and square but it was the result of a stupid system.

Klindt achieved an average with Scunthorpe in the PL, so you'd have a bit more room. Batchelor's average would be fourth highest in that side. Building a strong team is harder than it looks, so far the best I could come up with is: Masters 8.88 Watt 7.56 K.Bjerre 8.22 Batchelor 7.37 Lambert 8.76 Wajknecht 2 Schlein 7.17 Total: 49.96 That's assuming two pointers are allowed in the Premiership.