PIRATES chief Matt Ford hopes Josh Grajczonek will sprinkle more of his magic dust on Wimborne Road after bringing back the Queenslander for 2019.

Poole have never failed to win a league title in the four seasons Grajczonek has donned the skull and crossbones.

He skippered Pirates to the SGB Premiership crown this year having survived fierce criticism during the first half of the campaign, the 28-year-old later admitting he would have retired from speedway had Ford shown him the door.

But the Poole promoter chose to stick by his man, a decision which paid off when the Dorset club charged to title glory at King’s Lynn.

Discussing his decision to re-sign the 6.70-rated Aussie charger, who will again captain the septet, Ford told the Daily Echo: “He has a bit of magic dust when at Poole. He’s ridden for us on four occasions and we have won the league in all of those years.

“Those who can be lucky and unlucky in a team does play a role in my thoughts when I am deciding on personnel.

“I don’t know if it’s superstition or if it’s that we’d be silly to ignore that some people just benefit a club, but I think that may be how it is with Josh Grajczonek and Poole.”

Grajczonek rode in four meetings for Pirates at the start of the 2015 season, providing temporary cover for the injured Davey Watt.

He was an unsung hero of the title-winning side of 2014 but was cruelly denied the chance to ride in the play-offs having sustained a broken collarbone in the Premier League Riders' Championship.

In 2013, the Aussie was signed as a mid-season replacement for Kozza Smith, quickly becoming a fans’ favourite and producing a string of stunning displays in the play-offs.

“I know what I’m getting from Josh,” said Ford. “There are a lot of very good riders in Britain and I put him in that bracket.

“We stuck with him last season because I always had faith he would turn things round and he certainly did his job.

“He performed a great captain’s role and is one of those people who are really easy to get on with.”

Ford felt Grajczonek’s struggles during the early months of last season could be attributed in part to factors outside of his control.

“Josh was very unlucky in the team we picked, which never actually made it to the track,” said Ford.

“Peter Kildemand rode for a quick spell and we then had to bring Richie Worrall in, who came in effectively as a second heat leader because Chris Holder couldn’t get a visa.

“We were on the back foot when we started.

“Losing Chris was huge and being captain of a team where Chris was with us would have been much easier. But Josh is a great lad and will do well for us next year.

“He is never going to be a Robert Lambert or Jason Doyle type of rider but if he can bring in seven points every match, I’ll be more than happy.”

Ford has 12.27 points with which to recruit his remaining two riders.

Pirates 2019: Jack Holder (7.39), Brady Kurtz (7.05), Josh Grajczonek (6.70), Nico Covatti (4.70), Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen (4.39).