Darts star Anderson hits bullseye at Perth Glory training

RISING darts star Kyle Anderson visited a Perth Glory training session on Wednesday to rub shoulders with his soccer heroes.

The 28-year-old Anderson is in Perth this week for the Perth Darts Masters at the Perth Convention Centre, and said he became a Glory fan six years ago when he attended his first home game.

“My mate said ‘you may as well come to a Glory match’ and I came and I went and it was back when Eugene Dadi was playing and he was just a cult figure and I think it was when he scored the header against Newcastle,” he said.

“He and Amaral were in the team at the time and it was a cross from Amaral and he headed it in and the crowd went mental and I was like, ‘I like this atmosphere’ and from then on it just grew on me.

“I live in England (so) I wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning and try to find a stream for it and watch it back home. I love it.”

Anderson has been playing darts since he was 10 years old, made the Western Australian youth team when he was 11 and claimed the Oceanic Masters at 18.

Anderson became the seventh player in the history of the World Championships to throw a nine-dart finish – a term used to describe a perfect leg in a game of darts – and will be looking to replicate that form in his hometown.

Ranked 30th in the world, Anderson is the only Indigenous Australian on the world circuit and is aiming to reach new heights this year.

“There’s 128 pros on the pro tour so once you get into the pro tour, it’s time to knuckle down,” he said.