A few observations about new updates.

I have been watching and observing to make judgement on the new updates.

As for the extra fight tokens and extra tavern battles. I like them in regard to getting newer players more involved in the game. I can still remember when I started last year and you could only play for 10-15 minutes a day and that is all you could do. With the new changes this helps create an addiction :) this will probably cut down on managers running multiple stables, as I have had to come up with ways to burn thru the tavern quickly.
As for the races I like it as well, the only race that really seems to suck are Elaar's... I have given up trying to use them, not enough positives to overcome the lack of health.
And finally the new initiative balancing and other tweaks that happened last week. It has shifted the balance of this game completely. The blade speed Rage has been so boosted recently that any 2hand weapon War or Rage has almost no chance against them. Most of these fights don't go 2 rounds and the speed rage usually does not get scratched. And by evidence of the rankings almost all of these speed rages are flying up the rankings. One thing of note, there shots do not seem to deflect as much anymore, unless fighting a defensive fighter.
Well those are some of my thoughts on this.