Other Darts - World Champs, Premier League, Ranking Events

[John]

I am in astonishment at the ability of the modern darts players ability. It does my head in. I go back a long way with darts and swear that I thought it reached a pinnacle with Bristow, Lowe etc. prior to this era. Each and every player nowadays plays a brand of darts that is a level above. Prior to Grand Prix the tour has a usual pro tour weekender was held. We all know how great a player Taylor is. He lost to journeyman Darryl Webster 6-0 with an average of 107. Taylor had hardly a shot at a double but scored in his usual manner. Webster turned in the performance of his life. The pro tour has turned the players into scoring machines and when they are on their game all hell breaks loose.

 

[Reppie]

Prepare to have your mind blown...watch Wade v Thornton. Darts has reached the highest level imaginable. Double start as well.

 

[John]

Wade v MvG final. Should be a beauty. Wade is always in interesting matches.

 

[Reppie]

Yeah i think Wade is back to some of his best form. That 120 start after Thornton scored the 9 darter was some serious bottle right there.

 

[John]

Just watched our bloke Simon go out in the 1st round for the 3rd time in a row. Careers end and obviously not keen to write him off yet but he is really a long way off the pace.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

where is he sitting atm ? I am guessing he will need a wild card for the DPL ? he has had a bad year but its not uncommon no need to write him off might take a bit to get his confidence up. may have a year with no DPL

 

[John]

where is he sitting atm ? I am guessing he will need a wild card for the DPL ? he has had a bad year but its not uncommon no need to write him off might take a bit to get his confidence up. may have a year with no DPL

6th in the world. He is missing shots by a long way, not just wireing them but a good couple of centimetre. His scoring is down and the part I always liked about his game, his counting, is a bit awry. Not sure he has had a bad year as such but he has had a severe dip in the last couple of month. I am not writing him off but he is down and it will be interesting to see how he deals with it. He should make the Premier League even as a wild card I would have thought. One of the more popular players with the fans and that helps plus he is an Aussie and that aids the darts push worldwide.

There are 3 major titles left in the year. He is defending 25,000 pound from the world champs, a fairly substantial figure. He could be at the bottom end of the top ten after the world champs if he does not make the 1/4 at least.

 

[Reppie]

Seems to have no confidence at all in his game. His double scoring is bad and his combination out shots are few and far between. You can see in his attitude that he does not feel comfortable even giving the fist pump to fire himself up. Has slipped in form where a lot of other players have elevated their games is why he is struggling to win games he should be winning. He has been down for probably a year now so it certainly worrying for him...just hope he can find his form...too much talent to be playing like this.

 

[John]

To give him his due he won a players event back in June beating Wade so I am not really calling his year a write off but the last couple of months have been very average.

He has a lot of opportunities to work on his form now and between the end of the year. Has 3 TV majors and 2 players events.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

To give him his due he won a players event back in June beating Wade so I am not really calling his year a write off but the last couple of months have been very average.

He has a lot of opportunities to work on his form now and between the end of the year. Has 3 TV majors and 2 players events.

maybe just maybe he can turn it around he is a quality player but then again they all are confidence is a major part of it all

 

[John]

And out goes our man in the 1st round of the Grand Slam.

 

[HBF]

Did anyone go the event at Etihad Stadium earlier in the year?
Do you need to buy tickets if you want to sit in the stand or can you just buy them on the night?

Disappointing to see Jackpot go out in the first round also. A bit of a favourite of mine.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

yep def off his game I dont think we will see him in the PL this season, I dont know about the ethiad id imagine you need to book to get something decent

 

[MMAPride Scott]

What a grand slam that was really enjoyed it

 

[John]

And out goes our man in the 1st round of the Players Champs.

 

[NSWCROW]

Dat ending
( caven Thornton )

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Look all the wizard can hope for is a great world championships and start from scratch, there will be no PLD for him next year so maybe he can get back up

 

[Reppie]

Got a feeling he is cooked. Need someone else to step up and represent us.

 

[John]

Got a feeling he is cooked. Need someone else to step up and represent us.

He is still easily the best player we have. 7th in the world. A far better player than Nicholson and young Kyle Anderson has a long long way to go to get even close. Bear in mind that Simon still has averages in the very high 90's on a constant basis but at this point in time it is not good enough. Heck he averaged over 101 in his last loss. Taylor went out averaging nearly 103! This is a sport that has reached performance I never imagined possible when I first started playing back in the late 70's.

FWIW I will judge his cookedness after the worlds. IMO a run to the 1/4's that will be enough for a premier league spot. They had Barny in and he had slumped 18th in the world and Gary Anderson was not top 10. The Premier league is not just about being top 8/10. And with his cookedness in mind check out Merv King at #10 who it was thought was long gone a while back. Playing as well as he ever has.

Yes his form worries me but all he has to do is lift his average one or two points and he will be back into it.
Go The Wizard!!

 

[ashley12]

Barney and Simon will be favoured because they are icons in the sport outside of the UK in their respective countries. Not saying he is a lock, but when the choice is between someone generic like Wes Newton and Simon/Barney for the organisers, its a no brainer for marketing purposes who should get the spot.

Even if Simon goes out early, I expect him to make it unless two or three real suprises make the semis of the WC, such as Jenkins, Michael Smith, King, Kellett etc...

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Coral UK Open
Sunday March 8

Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting v Mervyn King
Michael van Gerwen v Devon Petersen
Andrew Gilding v Mensur Suljovic
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Tournament Average
93.19

Check Out Percentage
27.78% 5/18

Simon Whitlock so sad wonder how long he can keep going like this still #7 in the world

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Bunting through

 

[John]

Tournament Average
93.19

Check Out Percentage
27.78% 5/18

Simon Whitlock so sad wonder how long he can keep going like this still #7 in the world

They do it on a 2 year rolling prize money list but he is in serious strife. He will start to defend some serious money soon I would suggest.

 

[Freofalcon]

They do it on a 2 year rolling prize money list but he is in serious strife. He will start to defend some serious money soon I would suggest.

How has he been doing in the UK's?

Noticed they are showing them on Foxtel but haven't had a chance to watch.