Josh Rock says he will 'cherish' Premier League involvement but wants another crack next year

The Northern Irishman ended his 16-week league phase campaign with a defeat to Luke Littler in Sheffield on Thursday night.

‘Rocky’ endured a difficult start to the darting roadshow as he went eight weeks without a win before finally getting on the board, with three further subsequent quarter-final victories thereafter.

The 25-year-old finished bottom of the table on eight points, meaning he misses out on Finals Night next week at London’s 02.

Speaking to Online Darts, the Broughshane man was asked for his thoughts when finally breaking his duck in the competition when he beat Jonny Clayton in Berlin.

"I think everyone saw the reaction...I felt all the stress levels left my body after it went in,” he reflected.

"It was a massive relief to get my first win and I've kicked on ever since.

"It didn't affect me at all because I knew I was going to win in the end.

"I wasn't going to go throughout the Premier League campaign without winning a game, so I'm happy I did it before Stephen Bunting!

"He was nine weeks and I was eight.”

After being picked to play in the Premier League, Rock said how it was a dream come true to compete against the best players in the world.

Despite results not going his way, the World Cup winner admits he loved every minute of it and how his fortunes could have been different if he got off to a better start.

He added: "It was everything I expected it to be.

"I'm just so grateful to be in the Premier League and I'll cherish it forever.

"My Premier League campaign would have been different if I won the very first night.

"Even Gian (van Veen) said to me that he felt he would have struggled if he didn't beat Luke (Littler) in the first night.

"If I'm in it next year...it'll be a different story.”

Rock’s highlight was undoubtedly his nine-dart finish in front of his home crowd in Belfast.

"It was unexpected as I was playing absolute dog poo, as everybody knows,” Rock replied when asked about the feat.

"But I was doing the meet and greet and someone reminded me that it's the nine-darter that everyone will remember.

"I knew I played rubbish the whole game but the nine-darter has made the whole night.

"I always dreamt of hitting a nine-darter in Belfast...but the very first time I watched the Premier League was with my uncle and Adrian Lewis hit a nine-darter and then I went the year I won my tour card and Gerwyn Price hit two.”

Rock will defend his World Cup crown for Northern Ireland next month but will be at the board this weekend at International Darts Open in Germany.

However, he has already outlined his goals between now and the end of the season.

"Winning a single title and getting into the top four in the world, that's the agenda,” he claimed.

"That's just my goal as I know with the ranking tournaments left that I can make the top four.”