'Nobody knows what’s gone on... manager problems, manufacturer problems' - Josh Rock explains why his career has taken time to explode

Next up is a showdown with Michael van Gerwen, and Rock knows exactly what kind of challenge he’s in for. “It’s a real opportunity,” he said. “Everybody knows what Michael’s done. He’s won the Matchplay five or six times, he knows how to win. But I’m looking forward to playing one of the best players in the world. I’ve played him before — nine-darter, blah blah blah — but I’m up there to try and beat him and win a trophy. So is he.”

The pair actually practised together — with Van Gerwen getting the upper hand.“Funnily enough, I had a practice with him before he went on stage and he blew me off the board! But hopefully on Wednesday night, I blow him off the board,” Rock laughs.

Despite his growing profile, Rock insists he’s not getting carried away. “You can’t play with fear — because if you do, you’ll be feared,” he said. “That’s the problem, big time. You see a lot of players come and go — the fear kicks in and they become non-existent. I’ve already won my first major. Not a ranked one, but still a major. I’m very confident going forward.”

That win — alongside Daryl Gurney at the World Cup — meant plenty to Rock, but he says his focus has already shifted. “June’s done and dusted,” he said. “We had our celebrations. Not many people know, but me and Daryl had a private one between us. It was a big success for Northern Ireland and for us individually. Hopefully I can take this Matchplay trophy home and celebrate even more.”

"I dolphin-dived straight into the pool"

And after his recent World Series invite for Down Under, he says, reflects the work he’s been putting in. “Matt Porter especially sees what I’ve been doing. I was very grateful to get the call-up — he knows what I can do and believes in me.”

“I was in Spain when my manager called and said, ‘You’re going to Australia, boy!’” Rock laughed. “I dolphin-dived straight into the pool. I was on leave — and I’d just found out I was going down under!”

It’s been a delayed explosion for a player tipped as a future superstar since his emergence in 2022. Rock says the reasons for that are simple. “Nobody knows what’s gone on for the last two years — manager problems, manufacturer problems, stuff like that,” he explained. “But now it’s sorted. I’m with the best company in darts, Target, and I’m proving what I can do.”

He narrowly missed out on a seeding this year, but that didn’t faze him — and neither did drawing the same opponent who beat him at the same stage last year. “My manager said, try your best to get seeded. I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll try.’ But seeds don’t matter to me. Everybody’s there to be beaten. There are no easy draws anymore.”

As proven by the likes of big names Luke Humphries and Nathan Aspinall already sent packing. But Rock isn’t reading too much into what some might call an opportunity opening up. “There’s no shocks anymore in darts,” he said. “The standard’s phenomenal. I was shocked to see Luke and Nathan go out, yeah — but seeds are there to be beaten. Seeds don’t matter anymore.”

As for what comes next — including Premier League chances — Rock is happy to let his darts do the talking. “That’s up to Matt Porter. Fingers crossed, touch wood — I’ll take it if I get it. But I’m here to win trophies. I’m not just expecting to get Premier League next year. I haven’t proved myself yet — I need to prove myself.”

On this evidence, he’s doing just that.