The second week of the Modus super Series begins today and the line-up is once again stacked. There's a lot of experience, plus one or two up and coming challengers.
Simon Whitlock makes his debut in the Modus Super Series and will be looking to get off to a good start. Although he recently lost his Tour card, he is still a fantastic player, so should be around on Finals night.
Two more players that have also recently come from the PDC Tour are Jamie Hughes and Graham Hall. Hall has a small advantage, in that he has played here before, (and with success). He will feel comfortable in this environment and had a good Challenge Tour. I'd probably make him the favourite. Hughes is obviously a very capable player, but hard to know how he will take to the Modus Series. He is experienced though, so he shouldn't have too many problems, but will need to wait and see.
Perennial Modus players, Adam Mould and Tommy Morris present a threat. Both players have performed extremely well here in the past and will be tough opponents for the field. They are both consistent types and rarely play badly. One or both should make it through to Finals night.
Ashley Coleman Andreas Nikolaou Steve Robertson James Hubbard
In terms of experience, there's not many players with more than Andy Hamilton and Martin Adams. Although both players are maybe a little past their peak, they can still play to a high standard. Hamilton is still competing on the Challenge Tour, and doing ok there. The key here, is to get some early points on the board. Hamilton has the better chance of making it to finals night, but I suppose it would be foolish to write Adams off.
Jenson Walker represents a young player that is gradually making his mark. He was the England youth captain and has been successful on the JDC, Development and Challenge Tours. He seems to be progressing each year and has a tenacious spirit. He could be the surprise package this week.
Ashley Coleman and James Hubbard are both players that are hard to predict. They have both had moments where they can beat anyone, but also have dips in form at crucial times. If they can keep their nerve, then they have a chance.
Andreas Nikolaou had a good debut on the Modus Series, showing that he was not just making up the numbers. They Cypriot player showed glimpses of brilliance, although sometimes his finishing was questionable. He will learn from his first appearance, and will hope to sneak through to finals night.
Steve Robertson is a bit of an unknown quantity. That could be dangerous for the other players, as often the 'outsider' surprises and makes it through the round robin stage. One to keep an eye on.
In summary, I think the former Tour players will pose the biggest threat. Graham Hall in particular, is still playing very well. Coupled with his previous experience here, I think that gives him the edge over Hughes and Whitlock. Look out for Jensen Walker too, as he may cause a few upsets.
