PRICE SLAMS PLAN TO BRING BACK PREMIER LEAGUE CHALLENGERS

GERWYN PRICE admits it would be “totally unfair” if Premier League Challengers were brought back.

The concept has previously delivered iconic moments, giving local talents a one-night shot in front of partisan crowds. 

But talk of its return has resurfaced after chaos in Dublin, where a quarter-final was scrapped on Night Seven following Gian van Veen’s withdrawal with kidney stones. 

‘The Giant’ returned on Night Eight in Berlin but was smashed 6-1 by Price at the Mercedez Benz Arena. 

World No.8 Price warned a format change would create more problems, citing inconsistent opposition as his main concern. 

He said: “I think that would be totally unfair. When you had the challengers, it was a good idea but unfair to the players that are playing the challengers. 

“Every player is a different standard, and one person could play Fallon Sherrock, someone could play Chris Dobey, someone could play Luke Humphries, like I did. 

“I think if you’re looking at the problems with the format, at the minute where it is probably a little bit repetitive and if someone is ill, then there’s no way of trying to get those points back. 

“If they miss a week, somebody gets gifted points, which is a little bit unfair but I’m not sure what they’re going to do about it.” 

Former Lakeside champion Mark Webster believes there is no straightforward fix, warning any solution risks creating further imbalance in the competition. 

The situation has already had major consequences in the past, with illness and injury playing a decisive role in the race for the Play-Offs. 

Webster added: “I get the idea, but I just don’t know how you do it. 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’.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.