BACK IN THE DAY WITH: Corey Cadby - the prodigy turned to criminal who seemed to have the darts world at his feet before prison stint

This section regularly looks back in the day at the career of a particular darts player. Today, we turn our attention to Australian Corey Cadby.

Cadby was born on March 18, 1995, in Tasmania and began making a name for himself in the Australian darts scene in 2016. After moving to Melbourne, he began competing in Darts Players Australia tournaments. It immediately proved to be a success. During his first season on the DPA Australian Grand Prix circuit, Cadby won no fewer than seven events. As a result, he finished top of the standings and secured qualification for the 2017 PDC World Darts Championship.

Even before making his World Championship debut, Cadby had already shown that he was not afraid of the big names. In August 2016, the then-21-year-old Australian made his first televised appearance at the Sydney Masters. His opponent was none other than Phil Taylor, the 16-time world champion widely regarded as the greatest player in the history of the sport. Cadby lost the match 6-3, but the experience proved extremely valuable.

A week later, he was given another opportunity to take on Taylor. The two faced each other again at the Perth Masters. This time, there was no upset left unfinished. Cadby played superbly and defeated Taylor 6-2. His average of 103.58 made the performance even more impressive. The Australian showed that he was not merely a talent for the future, but was already capable of beating an established legend.

His Perth adventure subsequently ended in the quarter-finals against Peter Wright. Cadby lost 10-2, but that match also told a remarkable story. Both Cadby and Wright averaged 109. For a young player who had only just broken through, such numbers were clear evidence of his enormous potential.

Later that year came perhaps the most important moment of his young career. Cadby reached the final of the PDC World Youth Championship. In the semi-finals, he defeated Dimitri Van den Bergh, setting up a final against Berry van Peer in Minehead. Cadby remained composed and won convincingly 6-2. As a result, he was crowned world youth champion.

The title confirmed what more and more experts were already beginning to realise: Australia had an exceptional talent on its hands. Cadby combined natural ability with an aggressive playing style and possessed the scoring power to put opponents under enormous pressure. His performances generated considerable excitement ahead of his participation in the 2017 World Championship.

Cadby first had to come through the preliminary round at that World Championship, where he faced China's Sun Qiang. The Australian won 2-0, averaging 102.48 in the process. At the time, that was a record for a match in the preliminary round of the World Darts Championship. The result earned him a first-round meeting with Joe Cullen.

Cadby also impressed against Cullen. He won the opening set and appeared to be laying the foundations for another major upset. However, Cullen turned the match around and eventually won 3-1. Although Cadby's tournament therefore came to an early end, his performance was anything but disappointing. Across his two matches, he hit no fewer than six finishes of 100 or more.

The next step came in 2018. During Q School, Cadby secured his PDC Tour Card on the opening day. In the semi-finals of the event, he defeated Callan Rydz 5-2 to earn his place on the professional circuit.

It quickly became clear that Cadby did not intend to use his Tour Card merely to gain experience. Just a few weeks later, he claimed his first PDC title. At the fifth UK Open Qualifier, he reached the final, where he faced reigning world champion Rob Cross. Cross was one of the most feared players in the world at the time, but Cadby played without fear. Averaging 108.77, he defeated the world champion and claimed his first PDC title.

For many followers, the path to the absolute world elite appeared to be wide open. A young Australian who had beaten Phil Taylor, become world youth champion, secured a PDC Tour Card and then won a UK Open Qualifier against the reigning world champion. The story seemed to be writing itself.

Cadby continued to make headlines that year. At a special edition of the UK Open — where no fans were present due to a snowstorm — Cadby reached the final. However, a first major title was not to be, as Gary Anderson proved too strong, winning the final 11-7.

In 2019, he made his PDC European Tour debut at the Czech Darts Open. He defeated Wessel Nijman and Michael Smith in successive rounds before Mervyn King ended his run. It was another confirmation of his ability, but at the same time it was becoming increasingly clear that Cadby was struggling to establish his career consistently on the international circuit.

Travelling to the United Kingdom proved to be a particular problem. Cadby, who regularly made headlines over altercations and had several run-ins with police in Australia, struggled to arrive in England in time for ProTour events. Gradually, it became impossible for him to compete on the full PDC Tour.

At the beginning of 2020, Cadby therefore made a striking decision. Despite still being inside the world's top 64 at the time, he decided to give up his PDC Tour Card. It brought a temporary end to a period in which he had gone from promising talent to a player capable of winning PDC titles.

For Cadby, however, this did not mean he was saying goodbye to darts permanently. In 2023, he attempted to rebuild his career. He returned to Q School hoping to secure another Tour Card, and on the second day he succeeded. In the final, he defeated Karel Sedláček with an impressive average of 101.

Once again, it was the kind of performance that brought back memories of the young Cadby who had beaten Taylor and Cross. For a brief period, it appeared that the Australian was beginning another comeback.

But that comeback also failed to go as hoped. Despite securing his Tour Card, Cadby did not compete in any PDC events in 2023. He was unable to obtain a visa to travel to the United Kingdom. In 2024, the PDC subsequently stripped him of his Tour Card.

It later became clear that there was more to the story. In 2025, Cadby was found guilty of a serious home burglary that had taken place in December 2022. For his involvement in the crime, the Australian darts player was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.

This added another chapter to a career that has been defined largely by missed opportunities and periods of disruption. That contrast is precisely what makes Cadby's story so fascinating. He was not a player who simply failed to perform. Quite the opposite. Whenever Cadby stood on a stage and produced his best darts, he was capable of competing with the biggest names of his generation.

His victory over Phil Taylor in Perth was an early example. His world youth title proved that he could perform under immense pressure. His 102.48 average at the 2017 World Championship showed that his level was also present on the biggest stage. And his victory over Rob Cross in 2018 was perhaps the clearest indication that Cadby appeared ready for a future among the world's elite.

However, a professional darts career is not built solely on talent and good performances. Consistency, a stable private life, preparation, travel and competing in enough tournaments are equally important. Those were precisely the areas in which Cadby's career repeatedly encountered problems.

As a result, the Australian ultimately found himself in the category of players whom everyone continues to wonder about: how far could they have gone? Cadby had the talent, scoring power and confidence to beat the biggest players. He had also proven at a young age that he could win finals.

Will we ever see Cadby back at the highest level? Honestly, the chances appear slim. He is still relatively young, which certainly works in his favour, but given his criminal record, obtaining another visa to travel to Europe could prove extremely difficult.

Earlier this year, he revealed himself that drug use played a major role in the crimes he committed and that he himself no longer expects to return to the Pro Tour. His talent, however, remains undeniable, so perhaps he could still be given another opportunity someday.