The Cases Somerset Rebels holds its season-opening press day tomorrow (Friday), followed by a challenge match against a Swindon select side.

Tomorrow (Friday) will mark the start of the 2016 speedway season for the Cases Somerset Rebels, when the club holds its season-launching press day during the afternoon, followed in the evening by a challenge match against a Swindon select side.

This will be the 17th season of speedway action at the Oaktree Arena, with the club having its most successful period in recent years to the extent that they have won at least one major trophy in each of the past four seasons.

The 2016 septet will see 3 returnees from the side which won the Premier League KO Cup, namely Australian Josh Grajczonek, who will captain the side, and the British duo of Charles Wright and Paul Starke.

This trio will be joined by two further Australians, Rohan Tungate, who will line up for the Rebels after spending the past four seasons with Ipswich, and Jake Allen, for whom 2016 will be his debut season of riding in the UK.

The team is completed by New Zealander Bradley Wilson-Dean, a two-time winner of the New Zealand Under-21 Championship, and Bristolian Zach Wajtknecht, the 17-year-old having no less than three world youth titles to his name, as well as winning the British 250cc Championship in 2013.

The Swindon Select side is being headed by world number five, Jason Doyle, who is an ex-Rebel having previously spent a total of three seasons in Somerset colours and led the side to their Premier League Championship and KO Cup double win in 2013.

Club promoter Debbie Hancock said: “We are all looking forward to the new season. I think we have assembled a team which has the potential to be up there challenging for honours, in keeping with the Somerset sides of recent years.”

The turnstiles on Friday will be open to the general public at 5pm, an hour earlier than normal, for the evening match against Swindon select, with tapes up being at the usual time of 7.30pm.