Meet the Aussie darts young guns making a name for themselves ahead of Australian junior championships

Luke Littler had the darts world talking after his stunning run in the sport’s biggest event. Who are the youngsters making a name for themselves on the Australian darts scene? See the full list.

Who are the Luke Littler’s of Australia? Picture: Tom Dulat/Getty Images

English teen Luke Littler took the world by storm with his stunning run to the World Darts Championship final.

And while Australia doesn’t have a player as dominant as 16-year-old Luke ‘The Nuke’, there are certainly encouraging signs for the future in the junior ranks.

SEE THE TOP AUSSIE DARTS YOUNG GUNS BELOW

The best junior Aussie darts players will be on show at the Australian Junior Darts Championships, which begin this Sunday, January 14 in Murray Bridge, South Australia.

“There’s a fair bit of talent in Australia – not quite to the standard of Luke Littler at this point in time – he is something else,” said Mark Edwards from Darts Australia, who has been heavily involved in junior darts for many years.

“There is no reason why if they set their mind to it and set some goals, there’s no reason why they can’t achieve some serious heights.

“I can see our darts is moving forward with the juniors becoming really good.

“There’s a bunch of kids who are coming to the end of their junior years now who have done the craft for three or four years and are getting better and better each time so I think the future is looking reasonably bright.

“We are going to put in some programs this year to help strengthen that and to try and help them along with becoming better at the game and hopefully it entices them to want to travel and want to become successful.”

Luke Littler had the world talking. Picture: Tom Dulat/Getty Images

Edwards is excited for the champs with plenty of top-end talents in each state team.

“I believe this Australian Championships is going to be close because a lot of states have got at least one or two players that will be up the top and will be hard to beat,” he said.

I’m looking forward to the championships because I’ve got a really good feeling that we have got some good talent out there and I just hope they can showcase it.”

See the Aussie young guns making a splash in the junior darts scene, including six ranked inside the top 20 in the world.

BOYS

Mitchell Galby (Western Australia)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 6

Galby is the top-ranked Australian junior, sitting in sixth position across the world. The West Australian has a will to win and is naturally gifted at the sport. He has three titles to his name, the Pacific Masters in 2022 and two Australian tournaments. Headlines a talent-stacked WA crop and will compete at the junior champions.

Terence Morton (Western Australia)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 14

Sporting a long flowing mullet, Morton will represent team WA alongside Galby. Morton won the South Australian junior classic in 2023, his second junior title, and made it through to the quarter-finals at the World Cup in Denmark. Another with big wraps on him.

(from left) Ryder Fairchild and Terence Morton. Picture: WA Darts

Ryder Fairchild (Western Australia)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 33

Nicknamed ‘The Bull’, Fairchild is at 33rd in the world boys rankings aged just 15. Won his first title in 2023 and came close to Mitchell Galby in last year’s Bunbury Classic final, losing 3-2.

Jacob Turvey (Victoria)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 40

The reigning Australian Masters Youth champion is the standout Victorian competing at the Australian Junior Darts Championships. The 17-year-old Broadford youngster also won the Victorian Easter Classic junior title last year.

Desean Allan (New South Wales)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 47

Allen has already represented New South Wales’ at the men’s Australian championships last year and shapes as one of the players to beat at the junior championships. He has taken out the junior Newcastle Castle in consecutive years.

Landon Key (South Australia)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 52

Key was part of Australia’s World Cup training squad last year and has showed immense dedication to his darts, travelling from Port Augusta to compete at tournaments. Yet to win a title but was runner up in two events last year, including the Pacific Masters.

Jack Spencer (Queensland)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 55

Has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Kyle Anderson, a former Australian youth champion, after winning two silver medals at the World Cup in Demmark last year in singles and mixed pairs. Is cool and calm when the heat is on and has put in plenty of practice on the board.

Jack Spencer back in 2019.

Mitchell Davies (Queensland)

World Darts Federation boys ranking: 55

Relatively new to the sport, Davies has impressed onlookers in the Queensland darts scene, finishing runner-up in the Queensland Junior Open in 2022 to Jake Spencer. Is competing for Queensland at the junior championships and looms as a player to watch out for.

GIRLS

Gemma Spence (New South Wales)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 7

The highest ranked girl across the globe in seventh, Spence has won five titles, including the girls Newcastle Classic three times. She also finished runner up in the Pacific Masters girls, losing to Janiya Finlay. Spence has been representing New South Wales for five years, making her debut at just 13 at the Australian junior champs.

Brianna Pickett (Western Australia)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 9

Has strong darts bloodlines with her parents both featuring at state level for WA. Pickett has claimed three darts titles in Australia and sits just two spots behind Spence in ninth place in the girls world rankings, having won three youth titles.

Brianna Pickett is ranked No.9 in the girls world rankings. Picture: Darts WA

Faith Kainuku (New South Wales)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 13

Kainuku travelled all over Australia for darts in 2023, winning a title in NSW and Queensland and reaching the quarter-finals in South Australia. She has twice taken out the Pacific Masters (2020 and 2022) and has five titles in total.

Suzzette Parker (Western Australia)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 15

Parker is the fourth WA junior darts talent ranked inside the top 15 in the world, and will compete alongside Pickett at the junior championships. She won two WA titles in 2023 and made it through to the semi-final of the Pacific Masters.

Caitlyn Ainsworth (South Australia)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 20

The South Australian competed in her home state, Queensland and Geelong in 2023 and two finals and three quarter-finals in her five tournaments. This included the Geelong Dart Classic Women, where she made it through to the quarter-finals up against competitors of all ages. This will be her second junior championships.

Janiya Finlay (Queensland)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 25

Finley is the current Pacific Masters girls champion after knocking off top ranked Australian girl Gemma Spence 4-2. She also made the quarterfinals of the World Cup youth girls singles in Denmark. Those in the know believe Finlay has a bright future.

Kody Lane (Victoria)

World Darts Federation girls ranking: 37

An up and coming youngster who has had success locally and internationally. Lane won a silver medal at the World Cup with Jake Spencer in the mixed pairs. The 17-year-old is very dedicated and has shown significant improvement over the last couple of years. She dedicates her craft to her father, who tragically died from a heart attack in 2017.

Originally published as Meet the Aussie darts young guns making a name for themselves ahead of Australian junior championships