Josh Rock sends clear message to crowd after jeers as he closes in on unwanted Premier League Darts history

Josh Rock fired a defiant response to a jeering Dublin crowd after a seventh consecutive defeat in the 2026 Premier League Darts left the Northern Irishman staring down a slice of deeply unwanted history, with the world number seven yet to win a single match in his maiden campaign on the sport’s most coveted stage.

Price whitewashed a demoralised Rock on Night Seven at Dublin’s 3Arena, averaging over 103.66 and hitting 47 per cent of his doubles in a routine win that limited his opponent to just four darts at double. Sky Sports The manner of defeat — six legs to nil — made it the starkest of Rock’s seven losses, and the Dublin crowd were not slow to let him know about it.

But Rock, to his credit, did not shrink from the jeers. The Northern Irishman was not in good spirits after the drubbing, and his response to the audience was notably sarcastic. Sky Sports It was a moment that encapsulated the paradox of Rock’s Premier League experience so far: flashes of personality and brilliance buried beneath an avalanche of results that simply refuse to go his way.

The History Beckons

Rock now sits alone at the bottom of the Premier League table with seven defeats from seven nights, having yet to register a single point. The scale of that winless run is beginning to attract serious attention, and with the current eight-player format meaning each player contests 16 league nights before the play-offs, Rock needs a turnaround urgently if he is to avoid setting a new low-water mark for the competition.

Rock is sitting bottom of the table after failing to register a victory in the first six weeks of the competition Sky Sports — and that was before Dublin made it seven. In the 2022 current format, a winless run of this length this early is virtually unprecedented territory. Wright’s tumble down the world rankings started in the competition two years ago when he won just two of his 18 matches, Flashscore which stands as a reference point for how badly a Premier League campaign can unravel — but even Wright was picking up the odd win along the way. Rock has yet to open his account.

The 24-year-old’s low point came early. On Night Two in Antwerp, Rock posted the seventh-lowest average in Premier League history — 79.34 — as he was demolished 6-2 by Michael van Gerwen. He confirmed after the game that he had issues with his grip. “Want to apologise to everyone who watched me,” he said. “Felt fantastic up there, but had no grip on my fingers.” Dave

The Numpties Must Behave

Away from the results, Rock has been forthright in his criticism of crowd behaviour that has dogged several nights of the 2026 Premier League. Rock blasted the “numpties” that risk ruining the sport by whistling in arenas, saying: “It’s just people being silly and having a drink, thinking they are funny. They just need to wind their neck in and act their age. If they keep on doing it, they are going to spoil it for everyone. We don’t want that in the sport, so all the numpties out there need to behave, in my opinion.” Oche 180

He also gave a pointed illustration of the difference between disruptive and consistent crowd noise. “You play here in Dublin, and there are 10,000 people, and they are all whistling, it is one consistent sound — you will be fine,” he said. “It’s if it’s just one person. Maybe they will have to number that one person out and remove them from the building.” Oche 180

Rock had already flagged these concerns ahead of Night Seven in Dublin, speaking to the Irish Times the day before. He dish out criticism towards crowds at recent tournaments, with distractions like whistling putting off players at crucial stages. The Irish Times

Not Panicking — Yet

There are signs that Rock retains belief in his own ability to reverse the tide, even if those around him are beginning to question his approach. Fellow Northern Irishman and World Cup-winning partner Daryl Gurney has weighed in with some blunt counsel. “Sometimes Josh is just too nice,” Gurney told Tungsten Tales. “He needs to get into his own zone and think, ‘everyone’s here to beat me’, not the other way around.” Sky Sports

Rock does not entirely disagree, but admits he cannot simply manufacture the required edge from thin air. “Yes, I could do it, but I need something to get me angry. I can’t just put it on,” he said. “There are times there’s been matches I’ve been involved in when I’ve put the angry head on because something’s annoyed me during a game or whatever and I’ve been untouchable.” Sky Sports

Although he talks to experienced players like Gurney, Rock deliberately chooses to follow his own path, insisting he would rather try to do it his way and learn the hard way. Dartsnews

“I’m not big on coping mechanisms, I’m not superstitious about anything,” he admitted ahead of Dublin. “I just go up there and believe my ability will be better than theirs on the night. It’s not going to plan at the minute, but it will change.” The Irish Times

The Belfast Nine-Darter That Changed Nothing

The cruelty of Rock’s Premier League experience is illustrated by the fact that one of the most celebrated moments of the entire 2026 tournament came from his oche — and he still walked away with nothing to show for it.

On Night Four in Belfast, Rock hit the 20th nine-darter in Premier League history in front of his home crowd at the SSE Arena, an emotional, extraordinary moment that sent the arena into raptures. Sky Sports He had to wipe away tears after the perfect leg. “My body is in overdrive. I’m standing here now shaking like a leaf,” he said. “This is a dream come true. I said if I ever play in the Premier League, I would love to hit a nine-darter in Belfast.” GB News

BetMGM rewarded Rock’s nine-darter with the first custom-made set of solid gold darts of the 2026 campaign, worth a staggering £30,000. “Those golden darts will be in my cabinet forever,” Rock admitted. Sporting Life

Yet the match itself still ended in a 6-2 defeat to Gian van Veen. For Rock, that moment encapsulates his inconsistency in the Premier League: “From playing absolutely pathetic to producing a nine-darter from nowhere. I don’t think I would have reacted that way in a different venue, but because it was in Belfast, it was very, very sweet.” The Irish Times

Night Eight: Berlin Awaits

Night Eight of the darting roadshow will take place at the Uber Arena, Berlin, as league leader Jonny Clayton takes on Rock. Sky Sports It is, on paper, about as difficult a fixture as Rock could have drawn — the in-form Welshman sits eight points clear at the top of the table and has been the standout performer of the entire 2026 campaign.

Rock cemented his place in the PDC’s top 10 following an excellent 2025, winning the World Cup of Darts alongside Daryl Gurney and reaching the semi-finals of the UK Open and World Matchplay. Only Littler, Humphries, Price and Gian van Veen averaged more than Rock’s 98.02 across the year. Flashscore The class is there. The Premier League form is not.

Whether something can spark in Berlin — a crowd jeer too many, a wrong word from an opponent, or simply the law of averages finally clicking in Rock’s favour — remains to be seen. He would not need Gurney’s advice to find his angry head if the unwanted record books are calling his name.