Freddie Lindgren wants to fine tune Wolverhampton Wolves

Last season's Elite League champions host the Knockout Cup winners in the annual curtain-raiser at Monmore Green before heading down south for the second leg on Wednesday night.

Although Lindgren would love Wolves to find their feet with the first trophy of the season, he says it is just as important to use these two meetings to fine-tune the team ahead of the start of the renamed Premiership season in April.

"It's a trophy to win but there are no league points on the board," he said. "It's a good way to start the year and try to find your feet.

"Hopefully we'll have some good matches and build our confidence.

"It's not the end of the world if it doesn't go right. There's a few more weeks until the league kicks in and that's when we need to be ready.

"It's more of a let's see where we are as a team. There's still some time for some testing. If you want to try something this is the time."

Wolves have managed to keep five of their riders from last year. Lindgren, Sam Masters, Max Clegg, Kyle Howarth and Jacob Thorssell were all crowned champions last season, and they've been joined by former Cradley Heathen Nathan Greaves and regular Wolf Adam Skornicki.

Does Lindgren think they have a stronger unit this season? "It's hard to compare," he said. "There's a few changes in rules in how we can put the team together in terms of team averages. But I feel we have a good team.

"There's other good teams out there, every team is going to be out there to win but we have some real quality in our team and some young guys on the way up so hopefully we can be successful."

Lindgren spent the winter at his home in Andorra, but the 31-year-old Grand Prix star who has been at Wolves for 14 years feels stronger than ever this season.

"I hope it's going to be one of my best years," he said. "I've been training really hard in the winter. I'm physically very fit, I've got a good team behind me. I have most of the pieces to the puzzle to be successful.

"Obviously GPs are really tough. That's where I want to be, as high as I can. In the team competition I want to be successful with Wolverhampton."