Once again, the MODUS Super Series fails to disappoint, with next week’s line-up appearing as seductively inviting as a Toblerone cheesecake in a baker’s window during a January diet that has already collapsed quicker than a cardboard deckchair.
Naturally, alternative confectionery analogies are available for those unmoved by cheesecake. Yet, as a lifelong admirer of the stuff, I can attest that the twelve competitors assembled by MODUS for the ninth week of the latest series amount to the darting equivalent of a lavish dessert buffet. For hungry devotees of tungsten, it is a spread sufficiently sumptuous to have the salivary glands working harder than a Wetherspoons pub fruit machine on welfare day.
With plenty of talent on offer, let’s dive in and have a closer look at some of them:
BORIS KRCMAR
Built like two tanks soldered together and wrapped in barbed wire for extra intimidating appeal, the big Croatian starts as one of the favourites to go all the way next week.
The 46-year-old is often the name given when the question, “Who is the hardest darts player?” is asked. And quite frankly, if there’s someone able to knock this bloke out, I’d be as surprised as ever seeing former PDC referee, George Noble NOT officiate a match that went to a last-leg decider.
However, aside from his enormous presence, he is as warm and affable as he is a brilliant exponent of chucking tungsten. And, as one of the best soft-tip players the sport has ever seen, he’s not bad with a rubbery tip either. That just didn’t sound right and screamed euphemism.
FALLON SHERROCK
Ah, the legend that is the Queen of the Palace herself is back in town. Famous, of course, for breaking Ally Pally’s glass ceiling – a repair bill into the thousands which she is still trying to pay off.
Of course, I jest. Rod Studd’s inimitable line on Fallon’s achievement refers to a historic victory – becoming the first woman to taste success at the PDC World Championship – and not a blatant act of vandalism that would have required her to stand on Cor Dekker’s shoulders with a large hammer.
Sherrock holds another piece of “first lady to…” history at the Live Lounge, having once produced a sublime nine-dart finish. Not that anyone was overly surprised. Just the MODUS bosses delighted she did it in Pompey so the video on their social media platforms could go viral. These days, of course, Fallon has an MBE to her name. Damage any more historic London buildings and she won’t be hanging on to that honour!
SCOTT MITCHELL
A bloke who has been around long enough to have bought the T-shirt, worn it and then had a load more printed up. Born in Bournemouth – the place with countless nursing homes and bingo halls making it look like the ideal setting for the movie Cocoon – Mitchell spends a lot of his time these days further east along the south coast in Portsmouth. Nowadays, Scotty Dog performs quite a few tricks there. Not just a player, but a pundit, commentator and even happy to nip out and buy the Hobnobs when Jarred Cole isn’t around.
Similarly to Keegan Brown, the former Lakeside World Champion synonymously wears pink apparel to truly demonstrate his masculinity. Nowadays, there is an equal amount of black thrown into his playing shirt, making him resemble a very non-athletic Bret “The Hitman” Hart – thankfully without the Lycra.
JOE MURNAN
The last one of the dozen on show at the Live Lounge next week I’m giving a mention to is this fella – Mr Murnan. Another arrow-smith with plenty of pedigree, having previously held a PDC Tour Card for over a decade before eventually losing his professional status at the end of 2023.
Joe did, however, pick up a ProTour title. That was back in 2015 when Players Championship events were played in Crawley and in his old “Shaggy” nickname days. No one ever thought that was any good. Aside from potential copyright infringements filed by Scooby-Doo creators Hanna-Barbera, quite frankly, it’s a terrible name.
Thankfully, the Manchester-born chucker decided to change it and picked “Midnight”. Equally as crap, but I guess it’s better than Joe “Half Three in the Afternoon” Murnan.
So that’s a few of those who will be on show at next week’s MODUS Super Series. It all kicks off on Monday morning for half of them. Should be good. Who’s your prediction to claim the title?
MODUS SUPER SERIES – SERIES 14, WEEK 9
GROUP A
Jack Drayton
Jack Tweddell
Reece Robinson
Boris Krcmar
Robbie Martin
Sebastian Caris
GROUP B
Fallon Sherrock
Scott Mitchell
Conor Heneghan
GROUP C
Joe Murnan
Butch Devine
Ashton Brown
