BASINGSTOKE Bison head coach Doug Sheppard is more than happy with the team he has put together for the Herd’s defence of their English Premier League crown.

Dan Weller-Evans was the final piece in the jigsaw when he re-signed last week and on paper the Bison have their strongest team yet for the start of an EPL campaign.

The Herd has four new faces added to the core of returning players eager to bring more silverware back to Basingstoke.

With the increase in the import rule to five this season, Sheppard has snapped up an additional Czech forward in Petr Polodna.

The other three new signings are to the Brit pack with top defenceman Lewis Turner and exciting forward Vanya Antonov joining from the Bracknell Bees, while the very experienced Dan Davies comes in from Telford.

This will add some spice to the opening league game at home to Telford on September 10, when the Tigers come to the Basingstoke Arena.

Sheppard said: "I am very happy the way things have come together. We know as champions it is going to be a tough season as we have a target on our backs."

"We have a very deep team and there will be competition for ice time which can only be a good thing."

He added: "This league is getting better every year and we know we will have to be at our best every night and cannot switch off for any games, because we will get beat."

Some quarters feel that the loss of Joe Greener and Ryan Watt has left the team minus the physical element needed to retain their title, but Sheppard said: "The way the sport is going you need to be a more skilful team. We still have enough grit and I feel we will match any team physically.

Last year we took far too many penalties."

The Bison start their pre-season campaign away at Swindon on Wednesday August 31, before home games against Guildford (Saturday September 3) and Swindon (Wednesday September 7) ahead of the league opener.