Mike Pearce looks to have pulled off one of the deals of the decade, he landing Ramsgate trio Vadim Garin, Lars Mtiliga and Daniel Griffiths for his Sittingbourne side on the eve of their second season in the sport. The deal has turned Stags from virtual unknowns to odds-on third tier title favourites, Garin a former world number five and a veteran of 20 GP’s, Mtiliga the present Danish champion, while Griffiths was Manor’s number one while on loan there last season. In contrast the 28 year old will start SL17 as a second string such is the top end strength of Pearce’s new-look side, the price for the set of acquisitions? Aussie, Jake Edwards. Edwards impressed in his first season of British League racing, albeit at the third tier level, the step up to the top flight is a big one, but the 25 year old has been at his best when it matters most, he hitting double figures in both legs of the Division Three Cup semi finals and final last season. Edwards—who finished a disappointing ninth in last weeks Australian Final—will line up at third heat leader for the Rams, SL17 looking set to be a year of rebuilding for the two-times defending champions, the points limit seeing to that. With no Garin at the Channel Arena for the first time in ten years, expectations on Bradley Law will increase further, after finishing a campaign with a nine point average for the first time in SL16—thanks to back-to-back maximums in the final week—he’ll now need to make it ten to keep the Rams competitive. Especially given two junior riders will line up at reserve, those being the only other new additions to the squad, Jake Maynard (£150,000) and Shane Goodwin (90,000).