Team boss Simon Stead names six of Sheffield Tigers' 2025 speedway line-up

The Star, Sheffield

Team boss Simon Stead names and explains six of Sheffield Tigers' 2025 speedway line-up

Transcript

00:00Simon, first of all, can you tell us what you know now about Sheffield's line-up for next season?

00:06Well, we're obviously going out to be really competitive again.

00:10Important to us to keep the backbone of last season's team with Jack Holder,

00:21Ty Wuffenden, Chris Holder and Josh Pickering really as that real mainstay of the team.

00:29People who I believe have still got lots to offer for Sheffield Speedy,

00:35who did so much for us last season and wanted to be back and really excited that we could accommodate all of them.

00:43And who are the new faces that you're bringing in?

00:46We've got Anders Rowe coming in, a young lad that I've known for a long time,

00:53known his family for a long time and I've always had an eye on him.

00:58I think he's been progressing really, really nicely under the radar and really took strides forward last year.

01:05There's a lot to offer. He progressed out of the rising star position last season,

01:12so he's eligible for a 25% reduction on his average,

01:15which was great for us in terms of a team building perspective,

01:20because being top heavy, if you like, enabled us to get a five point average rider on a three point something.

01:28So in that respect, that worked really, really nicely.

01:32But he's on for big things, Anders.

01:35He's doing very, very good things on the continent, abroad with GB.

01:43Puts a lot of time and effort into his mental and physical preparations and also has top, top kit,

01:52which you need to be able to move forward at that level.

01:56So really looking forward to working with him.

01:59Leon Flint comes in as our new rising star, who seems like he's been around the sport for quite a long time,

02:05but he's still such a young rider.

02:08But again, somebody I've been involved with on the GB front, who's got bags of potential,

02:14who's shown that in droves at Championship level.

02:17And I just feel he needs a little bit of guidance and stability around him to be able to compete more consistently at Premiership level.

02:28But I think if we get him cracked at Sheffield and we get him going in the right direction,

02:33then he'll be a real asset to us.

02:35So we're looking forward to that.

02:37So there's one space still left in the side, to filter for the side.

02:43When's that likely to be announced?

02:45Shortly, I would hope, within the next sort of 48 hours or so.

02:50It's been a work in progress and as a club,

02:56we didn't feel it was right to announce somebody when the I's weren't dotted and the T's weren't crossed.

03:04So it wasn't fair on our fans and on the rider as well to announce something that wasn't quite over the line.

03:11So something that we are working on and should be in a position to disclose shortly.

03:17So you know who you want?

03:19We know who we want.

03:21Obviously, it's a while since we saw Ty racing after his injury.

03:26How was he?

03:28Really good. Back in Australia, getting some sun.

03:33And I think, you know, sunshine will help his bones.

03:37And he's gunning for next year.

03:41He's really hungry and I think he's got a new fire in his belly.

03:49And I think he's got a lot of people that he wants to prove wrong,

03:53because a lot of people have written him off and said he won't get back to the same sort of levels.

03:58I have absolutely no doubt that he can get back to those sort of levels,

04:01but I think he's really looking forward to proving them people wrong.

04:04And how much are you personally looking forward to the new season now?

04:07You've got a good idea what the team's going to be?

04:09Yeah, look, it gets to sort of to Christmas and there's a lot goes on behind the scenes, of course.

04:16You know, from when the season finished, the jobs doesn't stop.

04:22You know, you're straight on with team building to a rough idea of what you believe

04:28the averages are going to look like and the points limit for the team.

04:33So you are always working.

04:36And it only feels like now really that we can sort of take the foot off the gas a little bit.

04:41Enjoy Christmas.

04:42And then as soon as you're into the new year, it's almost go time ready for March.

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