KYLE Newman insists his personal ambitions are not limited to staying out of Poole's reserve spots.

The 25-year-old made his first appearance for Pirates this season in the 56-33 thumping of Rye House last week.

He had previously spent a month on the sidelines after sustaining a fractured shoulder blade and muscle damage in the season-opening Darcy Ward Invitational.

Newman said: "In the past couple of years I've been trying to get into the main body and I managed it last year but then got injured, so it went a bit wrong.

"I feel quite confident I can stay in the top five and even push on further. I haven't just got my sights set on keeping clear of the reserve places, my targets are further up.

"If you look down, you will go down, if you look up, hopefully, you will go up.

"Whatever happens, at any given point we are going to have a very strong reserve which bodes well for the team."

Newman joined Poole on a 6.31 average during the off-season with Lewis Kerr filling in during the Puddletown-based rider's spell on the sidelines.

Doubling-up ace Newman was handed the newly-created role of vice-captain by Pirates promoter Matt Ford in the build up to the current campaign.