Ben91

He's not NL eligible though.

The fact he's had two seasons and not met his assessed average in either is a pretty strong indication that he's not amazingly good.

Damn the rider shortage.

Which means they're not allowed to ride in Poland by the Polish authorities I believe.

A pound per heat at this level is more than enough. Especially when you factor in the lack of other entertainment on offer at most meetings. Over a pound per minute of entertainment is terrible value compared to other activities people could be going and spending their hard earned on.

As far as I can see there were only 8 eligible riders for a number 7 berth who had a higher NL average than Shanes (Perks and Ritchings both below him). No idea why you think Ritchings is capable of taking points from number 6 riders and Shanes isn't, I know who I'd rather see in my team at reserve.

This thread was started four days before its NL counterpart which has been pinned. It's not unfair to ask why.

Sounds like Branford was lined up as a reserve with Rob Lambert as a heatleader but Lambert has gone elsewhere obviously. Hope Rob Branford gets fixed up elsewhere, would have been happy with him as our second reserve for sure. Going down the Robbo/Heeps route does beg the question of why NBJ was let go of course. Robbo is a club legend and probably my favourite rider, I just hope we don't see a different rider to the one we were used to, we have to remember that he is a lot older now. Big pressure on Klindt or Heeps to develop into proper heatleader.

Shanes has a better NL average than Perks.

Kent got team building wrong last year, one of the top three at the start of the year (Baseby) shouldn't have been signed and more points freed up at the bottom end. Then the persistence with poor riders at the bottom meant they were always on a hiding to nothing. It is certainly something to look at, hopefully for a rider of Zach's undoubted talent he'll be contemplating riding EL and PL in the next couple of years and not need the NL.

38 would be fine. Each team can accommodate a decent number one but the emphasis is still, as it should be in this league, developing young British riders. Stand alone teams can still build a side to try win the league with a low points limit, they have to accept that they are in the third tier and part and parcel of that is that rider development is of a great importance.

Hoping Branford is a Rocket for next year, would leave an awfully long tail if he is a Raider assuming the points limit is 38. Hume, Bowtell and Hunter have to be the first three names on the team sheet. I can see Bowen or Hughes starting as the Raiders' number one, fitting both in would again leave a really long tail.

Probably puts Danny Halsey out of a job too?

The changing of the race format left so many riders around the six point mark. It also protected reserves from racing against the top riders week in week out, if they hadn't been wrapped in cotton wool they would have proper EL averages and the riders in the main teams would also have averages which varied a little more than being between 5.5-6.5, thus there would be no need for a heatleader grading list. Hopefully the race format changes back for 2016. It's madness teams chasing the likes of Kasprzak just because they need to use up all their points, then they'll be complaining when he averages six with the rubbish race format.

Sorry I should have said three three pointers come the end of the season. Think they got caught out by naming riders before the points limit was announced too. It could be argued changes should have been made before Ayres' average went up too and they didn't come. Hopefully the Kings will get a couple of decent reserves in next season.

It was having three three pointers that really hurt Kent in 2015. If they use two in 2016 and one can kick on then they will be more competitive.

Still decent going for a lad in his first full PL season. Probably a victim of his own success at Glasgow so it's good to see him fixed up for next year. If Castagna does well Ipswich could have either him or Sarj in a reserve berth all season.

Didn't realise he'd spent so long in the top five last year. Fair play.

Looks pretty unspectacular to me. King is a class act at this level but I can't see any improvement from Covatti or Risager. Big question marks must hang over Kerr, hopefully he will come back firing on all cylinders for his sake but it's not often you see riders who have been through similar situations to his do so. Sarjeant will do well to maintain his starting figure in the main team IMO. Castagna I don't know much about but he could well be the key if he can improve his starting figure. There are better riders than Ritchings who haven't been picked up so far as far as the number seven slot goes, he is improving year on year though after going through similar injuries as Kerr a couple of years back so hopefully he will continue to do so. Will still probably turn us over home and away.

There are plenty. Plenty better than Phillips too, only need to look at the NL averages to see that.

That and he probably needs another year of NL racing behind him before stepping up.

Can't imagine you using Phillips, not good enough for this level yet.

Last season would have been his third year since achieving his first PL average so I assume there's no reduction despite him not riding PL in 2015.

Be very surprised if Shuttleworth gets a PL spot.

Payne hasn't been riding much longer than Ayres/Chapman so it would make sense if he was included in being allowed to ride PL.