The eight of diamonds

Rod Harrington gives his verdict on the eight contenders in the strongest ever Premier League Darts.

Who will emerge on top after 14 weeks of darts?

Premier League Darts is back - and it's going to be better than ever before. That's the view of Sky Sports expert Rod Harrington, who believes the eight players in this year's field represent the strongest line-up in the competition's seven-year history. Debutants Gary Anderson and Mark Webster both reached the World Championship semi-finals, while Phil Taylor returns to defend his crown alongside new world champion Adrian Lewis. And ahead of the opening night at London's O2 Arena, Harrington believes the competition will be fierce for 14 weeks ahead of the Wembley Finals in May. "This year's Premier League is the best field we've ever seen," Harrington said. "The standard is so close between all of them and there won't be much between the person who comes last and the person who wins it. "When you go through the eight, you could make a case for all of them reaching the play-offs at Wembley." Here, in alphabetical order, is Rod's player-by-player guide to this year's field:

Gary Anderson

I think this tournament is absolutely perfect for Gary Anderson. He reached the final of the Players Championship Finals and he was very tired when I presented the trophy to him after a long weekend. With the Premier League he can stroll in and play a best-of-16 match and that will suit him much better. He's an extremely high scorer and when he's in his flow he's a joy to watch and commentate on. He used to have a major problem with his doubles, but he doesn't talk about that any more. Now that he's more confident on his checkouts, he's more relaxed and that has made him an even better scorer than before. Often the hardest person to prove something to is yourself - and Anderson has now proved to himself that he is a great player. There are two Premier League nights in Scotland and on those nights he will be the favourite against whoever he plays. I remember standing on stage the first time we did a Premier League night in Scotland and when Dave Clarke spoke to me live on air I had to read his lips because I couldn't hear what he was saying! That noise will be a big advantage for Anderson. I see him making the top four and possibly even further. ROD'S VERDICT: Finalist

Raymond van Barneveld

Barney has gone back to the management that he used to have when he was winning lots of tournaments, so hopefully he will come back as a force this year. However, in this field I don't think his game is good enough to finish in the top four. I could easily be proved wrong because he has the talent to turn up and play brilliant darts, but if we look at the stats and the form then I don't think he'll get to the play-offs. He needs to sort out a few things and be happier in his own game. He'll hit five 180's in the practice room and expect to do that on the tournament board, but it doesn't happen like that. He needs to learn to accept that you won't flow as well on the big stage, but he gets frustrated too easily. Players like Phil Taylor, Dennis Priestley or Eric Bristow just play through it until the form comes and Barney needs to do that as well. He always plays well in Scotland because the crowd love him and he doesn't want to let them down. Maybe he needs to get up there and not let himself down every single time. ROD'S VERDICT: Out in the group stages

Terry Jenkins

The Bull had been playing absolute garbage for the 18 months before the World Championship. He went down the exhibition route and I said to his face and also on television that I didn't think that was right. Before Christmas we had a chat and I told him I wanted to see him playing brilliant, like everybody else, because it's better for the game. Then he reached the semi-finals of the World Championship and after he'd earned his spot in the Premier League he told me: "I won't let you down, I'm going to do it right this time." Since Christmas we have seen a different Terry Jenkins. He has never been a prolific 180 hitter, but he's very hot on the 140's and if you do that then you're always in games. He has plenty of bottle and the crowd like his character so they never get on his back. I don't think he'll make the top four, but he will be a big spoiler in the Premier League. He's a draw specialist in this competition and I expect him to be extremely consistent again this year. ROD'S VERDICT: Out in the group stages

Adrian Lewis

I think Adrian Lewis may still be caught in the euphoria of being world champion and he now has three months to come down a little bit. I've been there myself when I won the World Matchplays, once you win something you wonder what else there is to do. That doesn't happen to Phil Taylor, but it does take some people a little while to get the edge back in their game, so I think it may be a couple of weeks before we see the best of Adrian in the Premier League. There is now an expectancy on his shoulders to play brilliantly every time and that will be tough. In the past we've seen him flick his darts in and have a bit of a laugh and a joke when he isn't playing well, but now he's the world champion people don't expect to see that. They expect to see him play well all the time, which brings pressure because everybody has bad days. That might take a little while to get used to. I think he should make the top four, but he will have to concentrate and grind some results out because the standard is so high in the Premier League this year. He cannot stand there and flick the darts, hoping it's going to work; he needs to be focussed every day - just as he did at the World Championship when he played really well. ROD'S VERDICT: Semi-Finals

Phil Taylor

When people start to write Phil off Phil Taylor, that's when he comes back and really starts to bite. He won the first big event of the year, the Players Championship Finals, but he didn't win it by thrashing everybody. He had to grind some results out in several rounds when his darts weren't going in perfectly, especially in the final against Gary Anderson, and that proved to the other players that not only is he the best in the game, but he can also scrap when he needs to. I think you'll get the best odds you'll ever get on Phil Taylor winning the Premier League - I've seen him as high as 3/1 - but I think he'll come in after his displays at the weekend. The Premier League suits Phil because if things aren't right in February, he has three months to sort it out by the finals in May and I'm sure he'll have much more confidence in his darts by then. He'll certainly make the top four and then I can see him going on and winning it. ROD'S VERDICT: Winner

James Wade

It's a shame to see James Wade's form drop so much because he is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the game. Myself and Eric Bristow have said on many occasions that he is a proper darts player - and by that we mean he is someone who can win tournaments for fun. He has everything you need and he is the second biggest tournament winner in the PDC, but he doesn't seem focussed enough at the moment. A bit like a young Ronnie O'Sullivan in snooker or George Best or Paul Gascoigne in football, he will turn up on some days and he won't care that things don't go his way. In ways that makes you a better sportsman because you don't let a bad performance affect your next game. He's a natural and he knows his form will come back. If he plays as well as he can then there's no question that he will finish in the top four, but I don't see that happening. He has put on a bit of weight and maybe he has been relaxing a bit too much. He needs to sort his form out, but he hasn't become a bad player overnight. The Premier League might be just the kick he needs to get his form back because the big crowds really lift you. ROD'S VERDICT: Out in the group stages

Mark Webster

I'm really pleased with the way Mark Webster has stepped up to the oche lately. When he first came over to the PDC he showed our players too much respect, he was too laid back and was scared to be emotional against the top guys. But then at the World Cup we saw a different side to him because he was representing Wales and didn't want to let his country down. He got emotional, his adrenaline ran richer and that made him a better player. We saw the Mark Webster that was a BDO world champion and at that moment he went on my list for the Premier League. He's a great scorer and a really good professional. He's a quiet guy off the board, but he's a totally different man on the board now. He'll love playing in the Premier League and I think he'll take the chance he's been given. I'm not sure he'll make the top four, but you can guarantee he'll pick up some good results and be a spoiler for the other players. This time last year the Premier League might have intimidated him, but not now. ROD'S VERDICT: Out in the group stages

Simon Whitlock

The Australian has everything you need to do well in this game. He's a high scorer and his checkouts are incredible when he's on form. Yet in the last two tournaments he has given away commanding leads to Mervyn King at the Players Championship and to Vincent van der Voort in the World Championship. For the first time since he came to the PDC we are seeing a chink in his armour, but I don't think that will affect him too much. I'm tipping him to reach the play-offs, but if he has an indifferent time in the first few games or gives away a few leads then it will be interesting to see how he responds. Every single darts player goes through bad spells and you need to show big character to get out of them. Whitlock's not exactly in a bad spell, but the other players will spot any chinks and try to turn them into massive chains. It will be interesting to watch, but I think his overall consistency will get him over the line. ROD'S VERDICT: Semi-finals Do you agree with Rod? Let us know your thoughts on this year's Premier League using the comments box below...