"It cost Van Gerwen last year missing out on the play-offs": Does Premier League Darts need reserve or Challenger return amid Gian van Veen kidney stones withdrawal

Michael van Gerwen only just missed out on the play-offs for the first time in many years last time around in the Premier League Darts. But could it have been different had the system around withdrawals been marginally different.

At the moment, a player receives a bye through to the semi-finals if the player in question e.g Gian van Veen or even Michael van Gerwen all of whom have missed weeks this year decides not to play last minute. This hands a 6-0 win over to their opponent and by proxy screws their leg difference too as a result of such a crushing defeat.

In theory, MVG or Van Veen given they've missed weeks due to illness and Van Veen kidney stones could be the ones to suffer again if they don't make the play-offs. Something which technically screwed Van Gerwen over last year and perhaps given that he is not playing in this week's ProTours, Van Veen has been forced to come back earlier than before due to this.

Gerwyn Price called the idea of Challengers 'totally unfair'. An issue has been that since the idea was brought in amid late withdrawals from the line-up in 2019 and while it brought some great moments e.g William O'Connor's walk-on, it still remains a yearly debate as despite it being popular it was also a needs must as opposed to what was perhaps wanted by the tournament.

O'Connor himself spoke last week saying a shake up is needed to the format but is a reserve player who remains on standby in case of these problems and even paid for it ala the ATP/WTA Finals where they have alternates in tennis to replace those injured and they get paid regardless the way to go.

Mark Webster speaking on the Love The Darts Podcast said that it is tricky as it's not an equal playing field if people are brought in for a week or two then taking points away from the main eight but that in reality Van Gerwen missed out last year due to the rules currently on display.

But that in his view there isn't a right or wrong answer with caveats across the darting spectrum if they introduce something like that.

"I get the idea, but I just don't know how you do it," he said. "Who you get and obviously the players are going to be of a different level to say Gian [when he pulled out in Dublin]. It's not an equal contest anyway so it's tricky.

"It happened last year and it's happened a couple of times this year and it could be pivotal come the Play-Offs, so you don't know how it's going to pan out. It cost Van Gerwen last year, missing out on the Play-Offs when he was given a 6-0 defeat because he couldn't make Berlin.

"In an ideal scenario, you want to see all the players play in the opening quarter-finals and if you get a reserve in it does get that player fine-tuned. There's an argument some people say the player would rather play but that's rubbish. They'll take the bye any day of the week in the Premier League and take two points. I don't know what the answer is.

"From a crowd point of view, they want to see someone, but the player would think 'I've got that bit of luck, I want to run with it'."

Laura Turner also weighed in on the same podcast and agreed to an extent about it not being perhaps fair and balanced if they do that but also that a fan in the arena which is often Matt Porter's turn of phrase used to defend the format in general wants to see it pan out in full. So is it up to the PDC to give them that full night of entertainment?

"We used to have 'Challengers' and 'Contenders' so when you're playing someone different each week, is it fair? Is it balanced? If that player then beats you and goes on to win the night, does that then transfer into points or do they just play an exhibition-type match?

"From a crowd point of view, they want to see the whole thing pan out, but it's just how you go about it if it's an option the PDC want to consider."