Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen could meet in the final

PDC World Darts Championship top 16 player profiles including Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Dave Chisnall

By Paul Nicholson

Darts

Thu December 14, 2023 · 1y ago

Major winner and commentator Paul Nicholson profiles the top 16 seeds ahead of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship, which begins on December 15.

You can also read more from The Asset in our World Darts Championship Guide, which includes all his tournament predictions, while he also shares more expert insight on our special Tournament Preview show hosted by Abigail Davies.

You can find links to both of these special feature content further down this piece in which Nicholson shares his thoughts on the top 16 at the Ally Pally...

MICHAEL SMITH

Seeding: 1
Season average: 95.48
Titles this season: 3 (TV: 1)

He's still incredible player even though he isn’t doing as well as last season. Everybody thinks it’s to do with his change of manufacturer but think it’s more to do with the fact he’s enjoyed being world champion and had moments of excess, such as going to Las Vegas during the Premier League and spending more time with his family when others would have been playing. He said he’s been a bit lazy so he must improve on that work ethic again if he’s to spring a surprise under the radar.

It seems strange to say ‘under the radar’ about a defending champion but like it or not, the way the season’s gone, it would be a surprise to see him reach the semi-finals. As much as we love him, I think there are other protagonists in a better position than him.

Watch: Paul Nicholson's World Championship acca

Paul Nicholson's first round 7/1 ACCA

Click on the image to watch our full World Championship Darts Preview with Abigail Davies, Paul Nicholson and Chris Hammer

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MICHAEL VAN GERWEN

Seeding: 2
Season average: 98.09
Titles this season: 6 (TV: 4)

MVG’s season would have been good for most people, but for him it’s not been enough. However we must praise the way he has continually bounced back from disappointment and done several remarkable things. His 118 average at the Players Championship Finals was his highest ever in a ranked game – anywhere. His only higher ones were in the Premier League and in a World Series match against me! He has experience to go with his form and he’s my champion.

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LUKE HUMPHRIES

Seeding: 3
Season average: 98.59
Titles this season: 6 (TV: 3)

Dream year. Three majors. Wins in pretty much every other tournament type apart from the World Series. He's won on the European Tour again, he's defended a title for the first time. He's won in different formats. He is sky high on confidence. Now, if he gets his preparation right leading up to this event, and he's not too bushwhacked - because let's face facts he's been through a lot the last 50 days - then he will go deep. But I just wonder whether a world title is just one step too far too soon.

PETER WRIGHT

Seeding: 4
Season average: 93.51
Titles this season: 3 (TV: 2)

Very odd year. Despite his struggles, he won a European Tour event in the Czech Republic and then won the European Championship in October when nobody was tipping him. He’s also defending £500,000 of ranking points coming to this tournament so he’ll have to be focused if he’s to reach a higher level that we’ve seen from him this year. For first time in a while he might go under the radar.

GERWYN PRICE

Seeding: 5
Season average: 98.80
Titles this season: 6 (TV: 0)

It's going to be interesting to see how he feels when he shows up at the Ally Pally. He’s got to walk into a venue that caused him mental harm last year, which was a shame because he’d been playing such wonderful darts going into the event. He’s spoken about how the Ally Pally crowd is detrimental to his chances of success. So for me, his title hopes don’t boil down to his form – because he’s been sensational once again this year. It’s a mental battle more than anything else.

NATHAN ASPINALL

Seeding: 6
Season average: 95.93
Titles this season: 1 (TV: 1)

Nathan hasn’t played much darts in the last six months. However, he is the World Matchplay champion and how many times do you see a Blackpool king barely spoken about in the run-up to a World Championship? Very rarely. July seems like a lifetime ago and he chose not to try and squeeze his way into Minehead for the Players Championship Finals last month. But maybe this is his way of minimizing his schedule so that he's got a degree of freshness that he needs for another tilt at another semi-final or final. But his lack of action means he’s not fancied by many.

DANNY NOPPERT

Seeding: 7
Season average: 94.23
Titles this season: 2 (TV: 0)

Danny hasn't got a great record at Alexandra Palace - everybody knows that. But don't underestimate just how good he's been this year. He's one of the opponents that people just don't like to draw, because playing him is awkward. He's a little bit more methodical, and he's terminator like in his mind set. So he's the kind of person that you almost want to avoid. He’s mentally tough and has great darts fitness – but he has a problem with the venue.

ROB CROSS

Seeding: 8
Season average: 96.38
Titles this season: 4 (TV: 2)

Rob played superbly to reach the Grand Slam final and didn't play badly at all against a red-hot Luke Humphries. He's one of the players that would have a lot more titles had he not been running into the likes of Humphries and MVG over the years. It’s been six years since he lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy and he hasn't really been that astounding at the World Championship since then. Maybe he’s due a good run after a great season, and he’s in a very winnable quarter of the draw.

JONNY CLAYTON

Seeding: 9
Season average: 96.04
Titles this season: 2 (TV: 0)

It’s been a year of continuance for Jonny by making the World Matchplay final and also winning a European Tour title. It’s been a tough year away from the oche due to personal issues and that clearly had an impact in the past few months but I think the one thing that helps him coming back to Alexandra Palace is that he played well here 12 months ago.

DAMON HETA

Seeding: 10
Season average: 94.48
Titles this season: 2 (TV: 0)

Damon Heta is only the third Australian player to make the top 10 in PDC history behind myself and Simon Whitlock. He’s in a great place with his game, he's got this quicker rhythm, he's continued to win titles this year and continued to rise the rankings incrementally. He's someone who is ear-marking a run at the Alexandra Palace that would see him go deeper in the rankings and you just get the feeling that Damon will finally do well here at some point. Will it be this year? Not a lot of people are talking about him again.

DAVE CHISNALL

Seeding: 11
Season average: 96.12
Titles this season: 5 (TV: 0)

This is one of Chizzy’s best ever season even though he still hasn't won that elusive big one. It seems as though people think he’s gone off the boil in the last couple of months because of two early major exits and he’s not seen as a legitimate title contender. But don't be surprised if Dave does something spectacular at the worlds – maybe not a big run, but definitely something of note.

DIRK VAN DUIJVENBODE

Seeding: 12
Season average: 95.54
Titles this season: 3 (TV: 0)

Dirk's injury-hit second half of the season means nobody thinks he’ll be at the Ally Pally after Christmas, which is a shame considering how many people were tipping him to do well 12 months ago. But this is a very different Dirk now. He goes into a venue without the smell of deodorant. It's the smell of deep heat. And you have to walk through a cloud of it to get close to him. And when someone isn't 100% we've got to say that they are susceptible to defeat.

JAMES WADE

Seeding: 13
Season average: 94.55
Titles this season: 0 (TV: 0)

James fell out of the top 16 for the first time in almost two decades for about a fortnight and he’s since reached a major final and is playing the kind of darts that will worry the top 10 once again. But it can't be ignored that his record at the Ally Pally – for his greatness – is not good enough and he’s still not reached a final here. He really wants to change this but it’ll have to be from under the radar.

JOE CULLEN

Seeding: 14
Season average: 94.44
Titles this season: 0 (TV: 0)

One of his most difficult seasons in recent memory. He's fallen to number 14 in the world and hasn't won a title this year, which does make him feel a bit off because he's become used to being a winner. He's not been playing bad darts this year. He just hasn't looked as confident as previous seasons, and you just get the feeling that being snubbed for the Premier League was the first nail in the coffin to his confidence. A run to the World Matchplay semi-final was as good as its been.

DIMITRI VAN DEN BERGH

Seeding: 15
Season average: 93.56
Titles this season: 0 (TV: 0)

Another player like Joe Cullen who has regressed in 2023. He was in the Premier League - somewhat against what people thought - and he has not won a title this year. He has not been looking as likely to win titles as previous years and he hasn't won a ranked event for two years. Belgium's number one player has gone back a step and he has to figure out how to get that thing going again and maybe moving back to home will be the trick for 2024.

ROSS SMITH

Seeding: 16
Season average: 96.14
Titles this season: 2 (TV: 0)

Mr 180 has been the number one maximum hitter in 2023 and that's not really a shock, considering what he did in 2022. He hasn't been used to being a serial title winner in seasons gone by but now that he is, we look at him as a more threatening player than ever before. I think also, the one thing that will help him coming into this tournament more than in the past is that he's starting to learn about energy management throughout these long games.

WHERE IS GARY ANDERSON?

Well, the Flying Scotsman is ranked 21st in the world this year which means he doesn't qualify for inclusion in this column! But, without wanting to give too much away, I might just be predicting him for a big run during the preview show which you can click here to watch now!

ALSO WATCH: HOW TO BECOME A DARTS PROFESSIONAL

Leading pundit and former major winner Paul Nicholson joins host Dom Newton and Sporting Life's darts expert Chris Hammer to discuss the 'darting pyramid', the importance of averages, how to crack Q School and other factors such as choosing sponsors, nicknames and walk-on music.

How to Become a Darts Professional!