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LAKESIDE have completed their squad for the new Elite League season - withc o-promoter Jon Cook highly confident of reaching the play-offs.The 2009 Knockout Cup winners have re-signed skipper Adam Shields, Jonas Davidsson, Kauko Nieminen and Stuart Robson from last year's team, whilst the return to Purfleet of Paul Hurry was less widely predicted. Youngster Jerran Hart is named as No.8.Cook said: "Bringing Paul back to fill the No.7 berth is sure to raise a few eyebrows but it's a no brainer on our part. "Paul's experience will be absolutely crucial and if he is only half as effective for us as he was against us last year then we will be in for agreat year.

"We will be purchasing his contract from the BSPA and Paul has set himself atarget of being out of the reserve berth by the time the first averages come out which, judging by his current level of fitness, I think he has got areal chance of achieving."Our goal is clear this year and that is to finish in the top four. The winter changes mean that's all we need to achieve. Once there we have no points handicap to make up or defend and at that point there will be very few teams in the Elite League who will fancy their chances against us over two legs."

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PETERBOROUGH have snapped up New South Wales star Ricky Wallace - the fourth young Australian to join the club this winter.The 21-year-old is the great nephew of former World Finalist Billy Sanders and will be making his first serious racing trip to Britain.Wallace, who holds a British passport, joins recent captures Troy Batchelor,Taylor Poole and Dakota North with the Panthers initially expected to loan him to a National League club.

Director of Speedway Peter Oakes said: "To some extent Ricky has slipped under the radar because there are so many young riders coming out of New South Wales at the moment, including our own Taylor Poole."It is something of a gamble because we have never actually seen him in action but he's taking an even bigger gamble, coming over to England."We have made a lot of background inquiries about Ricky and no-one has had anything but good to say about him."He's clearly a talented young rider and his determination to make it all the way was a major factor in our decision to offer him a contract."