By Marcus Uhe
Flights at the ready – the South West Gippsland Dart League is back for another year with an expanded competition.
The league has swelled from 11 teams to 14 for a 26-round home-and-away competition played across six venues that will run until mid-October.
Warriors, Paky One and Rebels have not returned, with six new teams making a foray into the competition – Generals, Railway, Dart Attack, Dart Vaders, Cheers, and Predators.
Defending champions Snipers made the perfect start on the back of a typically excellent performance from superstar Dean Gibbs.
Gibbs threw the highest peg of the week with 92 to go with his four tons as they downed newcomers, Generals, 14-1.
Don Brown Memorial Shield winners, 26ers, also made a winning start to the new campaign, defeating Bullseyes 12-3 with Dale and Wayne leading the charge.
Newcomers Predators made an early statement with a 12-3 thrashing of Fore.
Steve Powell was the star for Predators, throwing eight tons in a standout performance of the week.
Predators joined Cheers as first-time winners, who downed fellow newcomers Dart Vaders 11-4, thanks to five tons apiece to Ant and Shane.
Dart Attack and Railway joined Generals in suffering heavy defeats in the opening week against seasoned darts teams, with Dart Attack feeling the wrath of Just Social after their upset grand final loss last year.
Results R1: Gembrook 13 v Hoodies 2, Predators 12 v Fore 3, Cheers 11 v Dart Vaders 4, 26ers 12 v Bullseyes 3, Just Social 14 v Dart Attack 1, Mud Rats 12 v Railway 3, Snipers 14 v Generals 1.
Ladder: Just Social 4, Snipers 4, Gembrook 4, Predators 4, 26ers 4, Mud Rats 4, Cheers 4, Dart Vaders 0, Fore 0, Bullseyes 0, Railway 0, Hoodes 0, Dart Attack 0, Generals 0.
Fixture R2: Just Social (1) v Bullseyes (10), 26ers (5) v Mud Rats (6), Predators (4) v Dart Attack (13), Snipers (2) v Railway (11), Dart Vaders (8) v Fore (9), Hoodies (12) v Generals (14), Gembrook (3) v Cheers (7).
