A relentless standard is being set in the Premier League, and Josh Rock is struggling to meet it during his debut campaign so far.
Rock was chosen for one of the PDC’s premier tournaments after cementing his place in the top eight of the world rankings.
Including a World Cup of darts triumph alongside Daryl Gurney, the 24-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2025, and his selection for the Premier League felt merited.
But the Northern Irishman has become the competition’s whipping boy after six nights, having failed to register a single win on the board, despite producing a stunning nine-dart finish in Belfast.
| Pos | Player | Nights Won | Pts |
| 1 | Jonny Clayton | 2 | 19 |
| 2 | Luke Littler | 1 | 11 |
| 3 | Gerwyn Price | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | Gian van Veen | 0 | 9 |
| 5 | Luke Humphries | 0 | 9 |
| 6 | Michael van Gerwen | 1 | 8 |
| 7 | Stephen Bunting | 1 | 7 |
| 8 | Josh Rock | 0 | 0 |
Sitting at the bottom of the table on zero points, Rock has recorded the lowest tournament average so far (92.6) and the lowest checkout percentage (23.21%).
That is a far cry from his usual top-level performance, and he must significantly improve or risk dropping out of competition in 2027.
Who could replace Josh Rock in the Premier League?
When the eight-man field was revealed in January, Stephen Bunting’s inclusion drew the biggest reaction, with many feeling he didn’t deserve another chance.
The Bullet finished bottom of the table on 12 points, and only secured his first Premier League victories on night nine with a triumph in Berlin.
Bunting has since learned from that experience and amassed seven points after six weeks, with five of those coming in a nightly win in Belfast.
"One of the best wins of my career" 🗣️
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) February 26, 2026
Stephen Bunting reacts to his win in Belfast. pic.twitter.com/ht5kjnM6py
Whilst Bunting is now proving the doubters wrong by competing for the play-offs, several players will be looking to replace him or Rock for the 2027 Premier League.
James Wade is one contender after making a solid start to 2026 with a Players Championship 1 victory under his belt and a final appearance in the UK Open before losing 11-7 to Luke Littler.
Nathan Aspinall, who qualified for finals night last year, arguably should have been selected ahead of Bunting, but the world No. 15 is vying for a return in 2027.
Wade and Aspinall are the leading contenders for selection at this early stage, and they’re joined by one of the PDC’s biggest rising stars.
Wessel Nijman could push for a Premier League place
Wessel Nijman’s rise to world No. 20 in the PDC Order of Merit makes him the biggest success story of 2026 so far, and the Dutchman is playing arguably the best darts of his career.
NIJMAN CLAIMS MAIDEN EURO TOUR TITLE 🥇
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 15, 2026
It's Wesselmania in Goettingen 🤩
Wessel Nijman takes out a majestic 150 checkout to seal an 8-3 win over Gerwyn Price and scoop the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Trophy with remarkable aplomb 🏆#ET2 pic.twitter.com/yR5TROxpv1
Nijman produced one of the greatest campaigns in European Tour history to celebrate a landmark first big stage title at the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Trophy on Sunday.
The 25-year-old came of age on a memorable weekend in Goettingen, dispatching a trio of Premier League stars – including Gerwyn Price in the final – to scoop the £35,000 top prize.
In an incredible display of his talents, Nijman registered five consecutive ton-plus averages and 42.39% on the checkouts in a merciless charge to the title.
A breakthrough on the European Tour means the darting prodigy has now reached three finals in 2026 and won twice, the first being another triumph over Price in Players Championship 2.
Within the first few months of 2026, Nijman has propelled himself to the sport’s elite players, and the statistics suggest he’s here to stay. As it stands, only five players have averaged higher than the Dutchman’s 97.74, and he’s also the eighth-best finisher with 44.35% on the checkouts.
Clearly capable of mixing it with the best, consistency is now Nijman’s biggest challenge, and if he can secure a few more TV titles to his name, then he’s surely a strong contender for a Premier League place.
