PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD v BELLE VUE (Prem Grand Final)

THE 2022 Premiership champions will be crowned tonight (Thursday) as Sheffield host Belle Vue in the second leg of the Grand Final at Owlerton.

The Tigers are seeking their first-ever top-flight title, whilst the Aces are looking to end nearly three decades of hurt having last triumphed in the old British League Division One of 1993.

Mark Lemon’s side travel to Yorkshire with a 51-39 advantage, but Monday’s result came at a cost with two riders ruled out of the return due to injury.

Charles Wright is on the sidelines with concussion, and the Aces use rider replacement at No.2, whilst at reserve Jye Etheridge is also unfit to ride and Simon Lambert comes in to guest.

Simon Stead’s Tigers have confidence from a recent run of impressive home results, including a 57-33 win over the Aces last month – although on that occasion Belle Vue were without the injured Max Fricke, with his recent replacement Robert Lambert having scored maximums in both of his matches so far.

Stead said: “I hope the place is absolutely packed out. I know Belle Vue fans are due to make the short trip in good numbers and I have no doubt that the Sheffield public will respond as well. 

“We know the job in hand and as we’ve proven a couple of times here already this year, they are far from unbeatable. 

“The boys are so, so hungry, they really do deserve success, so here’s hoping that they can go out there and get the job done.”

Aces youngster Tom Brennan said: “Taking such a big margin to Sheffield is a massive confidence boost for the boys. Obviously we’re not getting complacent because we know how good Sheffield are at home, they’re not so unlike ourselves here in Manchester, so we know it will be tough still.

“It’s not ideal that we go there without both Charles and Jye, and hopefully they recover pretty fast. They were two pretty big crashes so all the best to them.

“But we proved that we could still win without them at home and as long as we can pack the minor places and avoid any last places I think we’ve got an excellent chance of finishing the job.”

SHEFFIELD (39): Jack Holder, Lewis Kerr, Adam Ellis, Kyle Howarth, Tobiasz Musielak, Justin Sedgmen, Connor Mountain.
BELLE VUE (51): Brady Kurtz, Charles Wright R/R, Matej Zagar, Tom Brennan, Robert Lambert, Norick Blodorn, Simon Lambert, Connor Bailey (No.8).