Is it time the Premier League considered a reserve player? The issue resurfaced after Gian van Veen withdrew from Night Seven in Dublin to undergo surgery for kidney stones and then travelled to Berlin for Night Eight, where fatigue showed in a 6-1 quarter-final defeat to Gerwyn Price. Van Veen did land a 113 checkout to avoid a whitewash, but his fitness questions and a prior withdrawal from a European Tour event have focused attention on the competition format.
Van Veen’s Dublin withdrawal had a direct impact on the standings. Opponent Michael van Gerwen was awarded a bye into the semi-finals, receiving two league points and a +1 leg difference, while Van Veen was handed a -6 leg difference and no points. That outcome has reopened debate about the fairness of the current system, and whether the PDC should bring back or rethink the idea of having a reserve, or returning to the ‘Contenders’ and ‘Challengers’ approach introduced in 2019.
The Contenders/Challengers nights gave local players a one-off slot, creating memorable moments and ensuring the evening’s schedule stayed intact, but it also raised questions about balance: guest players vary widely in level compared with the full-time Premier League stars.
Opinions among players and pundits are mixed. Gerwyn Price argued the idea would be unfair, noting that illness or absence can’t be easily remedied and that gifting points to opponents is problematic. Former Lakeside champion Mark Webster described the proposal as “tricky,” recognising the problem but questioning how a fair and consistent replacement could be chosen and how varying standards might influence the table at season’s end. Laura Turner observed that while fans want a full card each week, the logistics and fairness of rotating challengers or a permanent reserve would need careful thought. By contrast, William O’Connor, who appeared as a Challenger in 2020, backed filling the void with a local player when someone pulls out, arguing it gives the crowd something to cheer and avoids handing an automatic bye.
Whatever the solution, the timing matters: substitute appearances and awarded results could be pivotal come the Play-Offs. The Premier League resumes with Night Nine at the AO Arena in Manchester on Thursday April 2. The quarter-final draw reads Michael van Gerwen vs Stephen Bunting, Gerwyn Price vs Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen vs Luke Littler, and Jonny Clayton vs Josh Rock.
Current league positions are tight: Luke Littler leads by two points from Jonny Clayton, with Price and Van Gerwen third and fourth; Humphries sits two points behind Van Gerwen in fifth, followed by Van Veen, Bunting and Rock. Each night awards ranking points that shape the table — five for the winner, three for the runner-up and two for the semi-finalists — and the top four after the league phase progress to Finals Night at The O2 on Thursday May 28. With margins small and fixtures unforgiving, the debate over reserves or challengers is likely to continue as players, organizers and fans weigh fairness, spectacle and practicality.