The latest Australian Darts Association Tour was completely dominated by just two players, Brody Klinge and Raymond Smith. These darting titans not only secured two titles each, but astonishingly, they contested all four finals across the entire weekend, showcasing unparalleled consistency, skill, and competitive spirit. Their intense rivalry culminated in thrilling, often deciding-leg or set finishes, leaving no doubt about their status as Australia’s top darts competitors.
A Rivalry Redefined: Klinge and Smith’s Unstoppable Run
The Australian Darts Association Tour once again witnessed a two-man show, with Brody Klinge and Raymond Smith proving virtually unbeatable. This remarkable dominance echoed the opening weekend in Mandurah, where they similarly split all four tournament crowns. In Queensland, the pattern held true, with Klinge initially taking the lead.
Event 1: Klinge’s Dramatic Opening Victory
Brody Klinge kicked off the weekend by capturing the first title in commanding fashion. His victory came after a dramatic last-leg decider against Raymond Smith in the final. The match was a relentless exchange of momentum, with both players trading leg for leg in a pulsating showdown before Klinge, representing Victoria, narrowly edged out Smith at the very end.
Event 1 Results:
- Quarter-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 6 – 4 Matt Mullen
- Michael Bajowski 6 – 3 Anthony Shreeve
- Raymond Smith 6 – 2 Dave Hanel
- Darren Penhall 6 – 4 Tim Pusey
- Semi-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 6 – 3 Michael Bajowski
- Raymond Smith 6 – 3 Darren Penhall
Event 2: Klinge Doubles Down on Day Two Morning
The dominance continued into Saturday morning. Klinge again produced a ruthless performance, including a clean sweep against Joe Comito earlier in the tournament, before dispatching Tim Pusey to reach yet another title match. In the final, he defeated Smith in a near-identical fashion to the previous day, extending his annual head-to-head advantage over “The Guru” to 5-3 in title meetings.
Event 2 Results:
- Quarter-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 6 – 0 Joe Comito
- Tim Pusey 6 – 5 James Bailey
- Raymond Smith 6 – 3 Anthony Shreeve
- Brandon Weening 6 – 5 Jamie Rundle
- Semi-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 6 – 4 Tim Pusey
- Raymond Smith 6 – 1 Brandon Weening
Event 3: Smith’s Resilient Comeback in the Afternoon
However, later that Saturday afternoon, Raymond Smith exacted his revenge and emphatically turned the tables on his compatriot. After comfortably moving past Harley Kemp and overcoming Jeremy Fagg, the Brisbane veteran finally halted Klinge’s momentum in another enthralling final that, once again, went the distance. Smith impressively recovered from a 2-0 leg deficit, ensuring there would be no third consecutive defeat and resiliently captured his fourth title of the campaign.
Event 3 Results:
- Quarter-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 6 – 5 Joe Comito
- Mal Cuming 6 – 2 Puna Ben
- Raymond Smith 6 – 1 Harley Kemp
- Jeremy Fagg 6 – 3 Dave Hanel
- Semi-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 6 – 2 Mal Cuming
- Raymond Smith 6 – 3 Jeremy Fagg
Event 4: The Deciding Set Showdown
Sunday’s concluding event switched from a traditional “matchplay” format (first to a certain number of legs) to a “set-play” structure (first to a certain number of sets, with each set being first to a certain number of legs). Fittingly, it culminated in yet another meeting between the weekend’s two outstanding performers.
Klinge surged into the final without dropping a single set in his quarter-final or semi-final matches. Smith, meanwhile, faced a tougher challenge from Jeremy Fagg but again demonstrated his composure under pressure, securing a fourth consecutive final showdown with his increasingly familiar rival.
Two sets into the decider, the pair remained inseparable, as expected. It was perhaps only fitting that after an entire weekend of high-calibre battles, the final event would also require a deciding set. On this occasion, Smith narrowly prevailed on home soil, drawing level with Klinge on five seasonal titles apiece, capping an incredible weekend of darts.
Event 4 Results:
- Quarter-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 2 – 0 Anthony Shreeve
- Raymond Smith 2 – 0 Mal Cuming
- David McCullough 2 – 1 Dave Hanel
- Jeremy Fagg 2 – 1 Shannon O’Brien
- Semi-Finals:
- Brody Klinge 2 – 0 David McCullough
- Raymond Smith 2 – 1 Jeremy Fagg
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
