DEFIANT Davey Watt insists the ongoing hullabaloo over team changes at Poole Pirates has not filtered through to the pits.

Questions remain over the future of Poole’s current one-to-seven with promoter Matt Ford still yet to rule out the prospect of making a switch before the August 28 deadline.

But the experienced head of the Pirates camp is urging his colleagues to keep calm and carry on, despite the speedway world’s willingness to speculate on what might happen.

Watt told the Daily Echo: “I think everyone in the team just gets on with doing their jobs and if they continue to do that, we will all be fine.

“If you let things like that affect you, you will let anything affect you and I don’t think any of us should be focusing on that.

“To be honest, I have not really thought about it. I guess the whole thing is on other people’s minds more than it is on ours.”

The Aussie veteran’s rollercoaster 2015 has featured a broken foot, elevation to the number-one position and demotion to a second-string role before returning to his original number-three berth for August.

Despite the step up, the 37-year-old has nudged up his average from 6.41 to 6.57, yet could drop back to number two ahead of a season-defining September with Dakota North roaring up to 6.62.

“The difference between a heat leader’s role and that of a second stringer is massive,” he added.

“At number two, you start on the inside, while at three you’re on the outside with three top-drawer guys on the inside line.

“The format we have makes it quite an unfair gap for riders to bridge but that is how it is, you have to accept it and work with it. They are all riders I have beaten before so why can’t I beat them now?”

Poole top the Elite League by a point ahead of tonight’s trip to Lakeside (8pm) but Coventry have the meetings in hand to claim their choice of opponent in the play-offs.

“We are confident and excited for the play-offs,” said Watt. “We know there are few tough meetings to get past first and we will need our heads screwed on for the semi-finals no matter who we face. Then the final is a whole different ball game.

“I’m not too worried about who finishes where. Our focus is winning and making sure the performances are right. Hopefully, the rest will take care of itself.”

Pirates track ex-Hammer Ben Morley as guest at reserve for Paul Starke, who is on duty for Premier League club Somerset.

Max Fricke and reserve pair Kyle Hughes and Luke Bowen step in for Lakeside. Mikkel Bech, who has commitments in Denmark, the injured Ashley Birks and Adam Ellis, who rides in the world under-21 finals, miss out. 

Lakeside: (from) Max Fricke (guest), Andreas Jonsson, Edward Kennett, Richard Lawson, Kim Nilsson, Luke Bowen (guest), Kyle Hughes (guest). Team manager: Neil Vatcher.

Poole: Kacper Gomolski, Chris Holder, Maciej Janowski, Dakota North, Davey Watt, Ben Morley (guest), Kyle Newman. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.