Raymond Smith opened the 2026 Dabble Darts ANZ Premier League by producing a record-breaking display en route to beating Ben Robb 5-1 to win Night One in Canberra. Smith dispatched Brody Klinge 5-3 before registering five 180s and an ANZ Premier League record 108.88 average to defeat debutant Mal Cuming by the same scoreline, before […]
Raymond Smith opened the 2026 Dabble Darts ANZ Premier League by producing a record-breaking display en route to beating Ben Robb 5-1 to win Night One in Canberra.
Smith dispatched Brody Klinge 5-3 before registering five 180s and an ANZ Premier League record 108.88 average to defeat debutant Mal Cuming by the same scoreline, before cruising past Robb – last year’s winner in Canberra – in the final.
Victory on Saturday’s opening night sees Smith claim the A$1000 nightly prize and five points to move to the top of the embryonic standings.
While Smith made it look easy, he insists it was anything but in the Australian capital.
“Brody is probably the best player in the country at the moment,” reflected Smith, last year’s ANZ Premier League runner-up.
“Mal’s probably been the most in-form player in Australia in the last couple of months and then the Big Rig is always, always hard to beat.
“This crowd, how good were they to give us this energy? I appreciate it. I’ve got a bit of form on the board, but it doesn’t change the thinking. If I get these guys on my side, good luck to you!
“I’m not [usually] a 180 thrower. I throw 140s, but the crowd brought the energy for me tonight. My 180 count was pretty good, so thanks to these guys!”
Smith started the evening with a highly-anticipated match against Klinge, who had many eyes on him after his run to last month’s Australian Darts Masters final.
However, the 34-year-old struggled on the doubles and Smith made him pay, going five from six on the outer ring.
Up next was Cuming, and Smith won four out of his five legs in 14 darts or less, including an 11-darter in the match-winning eighth leg.
Then against Robb in the final, it was one-way traffic as he claimed his most comfortable win of the night, sealing the deal with an 81 finish on the bullseye for a 12-darter.
Robb progressed to the final after claiming a 5-0 whitewash win over fellow Kiwi Jonny Tata, before overcoming defending ANZ Premier League champion Simon Whitlock 5-3 in an entertaining semi-final clash.
The other opening round ties saw Whitlock overcome a two-leg deficit to beat Joe Comito 5-4 in a last-leg decider, while Cuming accounted for Tim Pusey 5-3.
The winner of the 2026 ANZ Premier League will pocket AU$30,000 and secure a spot at the 2026/27 World Darts Championship, along with a place in November’s Grand Slam of Darts.
The ANZ Premier League action continues next weekend at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, headlined by a Canberra final rematch between Smith and Robb.
There will be crucial matches for Tata against Klinge and Pusey against Comito, with all four players desperate to claim their maiden wins of the season.
The 2026 ANZ Premier League is being televised live on Foxtel & Kayo Sports in Australia, through Sky in New Zealand and globally on PDCTV.
Click here for match stats & results.
2026 Dabble Darts ANZ Premier League
Night One
Saturday September 26, AIS Arena, Canberra
Quarter-Finals
Mal Cuming 5-3 Tim Pusey
Raymond Smith 5-3 Brody Klinge
Simon Whitlock 5-4 Joe Comito
Ben Robb 5-0 Jonny Tata
Semi-Finals
Raymond Smith 5-3 Mal Cuming
Ben Robb 5-3 Simon Whitlock
Final
Raymond Smith 5-1 Ben Robb
Night Two
Saturday October 3, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Quarter-Finals
Raymond Smith v Ben Robb
Jonny Tata v Brody Klinge
Tim Pusey v Joe Comito
Simon Whitlock v Mal Cuming
Semi-Finals
Smith/Robb v Tata/Klinge
Pusey/Comito v Whitlock/Cuming
Final
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