BOSS Matt Ford reckons the "strength in depth" at Pirates means a big name may end up at reserve.

Poole will start the SGB Premiership season next month with Australian star Brady Kurtz at number one and Mateusz Szczepaniak and James Shanes in the bottom two.

Former world champion Chris Holder, ex-Somerset spearhead Josh Grajczonek, World Cup winner Linus Sundstrom and Polish prospect Kacper Woryna will fill the remainder of the top-five slots.

And with Szczepaniak favoured by Ford to jump into the main body, the Poole owner believes none of the top five are safe from the drop to reserve.

Ford told the Daily Echo: "Mat is immensely better than his average suggests and in my eyes, he will start as the reserve everyone will be setting out to beat.

"That said, things will change quickly and I don't think it will be long before he finds himself in the main body.

"As for who will drop down, it may come as a real shock to people. It may be an established rider who ends up down there because we have got such strength in depth this year.

"I don't see James Shanes coming out of the reserve berths but as for the other six, I couldn't tell you which guy will be top of the averages or who will be sixth. It will be interesting to watch."

Aside from Kurtz, whose average dictates he must take the number one role, Ford has yet to decide on the starting order of his top five.

Based on their averages, Chris Holder and Kacper Woryna would ordinarily be considered for second-string roles but given Holder's considerable track knowledge, there is a compelling argument to use him as a heat leader.

Meanwhile, Ford has revealed the next four riders who will race in the 70th anniversary meeting on Friday, March 23.

Holder, Szczepaniak, Nico Covatti and Nicolai Klindt will line up in the curtain-raiser at Wimborne Road.

Covatti and Klindt are both without Premiership team places but will ply their trade in the Championship having signed for Ipswich and Workington, respectively.

Grand Prix star Freddie Lindgren, who is not riding in Britain this year after being frozen out at Wolverhampton, politely declined an invitation to take part.

Revealing his thinking behind the line-up, Ford added: "I don't want to invite riders who are going to visit Poole during the course of the year.

"I'm trying to get riders who most people don't get a chance to see normally, or riders with Pirates history who are happy to come.

"I'm keen to avoid riders coming back time and again."

The season-opening meeting takes place 48 hours after press and practice, with the club's gala dinner inked in for Saturday, March 24 at Cherries' Vitality Stadium headquarters.

Field to date: Hans Andersen, Nico Covatti, Josh Grajczonek, Chris Holder, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Frederik Jakobsen, Nicolai Klindt, Brady Kurtz, Bjarne Pedersen, Linus Sundstrom, Mateusz Szczepaniak, Kacper Woryna.