The conjecture surrounding the announcement of the Premier League Darts line-up is always fierce and Grand Prix champion Mike De Dekker added fuel to the fire by branding the PDC’s decision making as “scandalous”.
Premier League Darts Potentials: 5 Huge Players to Make PLoD 2026
This year’s event gets underway in Belfast with Luke Littler and Luke Humphries amongst those in action. The Lukes are expected to be in the field for some years to come, with neither of the top arrowsmiths likely to drop out of the top four in the rankings, but there is scope for change.
Michael Smith and Peter Wright, who have been mainstays in the competition, were not part of the chosen eight this year and Chis Dobey and Stephen Bunting have joined the fray. We take a look at five players who will be hoping to break into the Premier League next year.
Premier League Darts Potentials: Mike De Dekker
Mike De Dekker made no secret of his disappointment of now being picked for this season’s Premier League, but the Real Deal will be looking to keep the pressure up. The Belgian lifted the World Grand Prix crown last season and is climbing the rankings. Another major success may make the his claims too strong to ignore.
Premier League Darts Potentials: Jonny Clayton
Jonny Clayton lifted the 2021 Premier League crown and the Ferret is a former Grand Prix, Masters, World Series and two-time World Cup winner. The 50-year-old wasn’t at his peak last season, but the Welshman has looked rejuvenated with new darts and made the final of the World Masters, so a return to former glories can’t be ruled out.
Premier League Darts Potentials: Damon Heta
Reaching the UK Open semi-final is the best performance Damon Heta has managed in a major televised event, but ‘The Heat’ is in only his sixth year of PDC competition and the 37-year-old is flying up the rankings. The Aussie is a seven-time winner on the Pro Tour and has also taken down a European Tour prize, with Heta up to number eight in the rankings prior to the recent World Masters.
Premier League Darts Potentials: Danny Noppert
A former UK Open champion and multiple Players Championship event winner, Danny Noppert is another player pushing to make his debut in the Premier League. The Freeze is yet to make it past round three of the World Championship and perhaps that poor record has held the 34-year-old back. However, Noppert has been as high as number seven in the rankings and another big year could see the Dutchman make the breakthrough.
Premier League Darts Potentials: Dave Chisnall
Dave Chisnall has competed in the Premier League on four previous occasions, but the last of those came back in 2017. Chizzy is a six-time major finalist and the 44-year-old has won an incredible nine titles on the Pro and European Tour in the last two seasons. The St Helens arrowsmith moved up to number five in the PDC rankings prior to the World Masters and Chizzy was only one spot off automatic qualification for the Premier League. Gary Anderson is a notable absentee from this list, but the Flying Scotsman has previously stated that he would reject any Premier League advances from the PDC.
By Adrian Mills
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