Winning tournaments will always grab the headlines, but it isn't the only way to measure progress.
One of my favourite features in the Q4QS rankings is the Improvement Report, which compares a player's last 50 recorded legs against their previous 50 legs. Rather than rewarding a single great night or one tournament victory, it highlights players who are genuinely raising their level over time.
In many ways, I think this tells a bigger story than a simple league table.
Every darts player goes through peaks and troughs. We all have evenings where nothing seems to go right, followed by weeks where everything suddenly clicks. That's completely normal. What matters is how you respond after those difficult spells.
Take Ethan Williams, who currently tops the latest Bristol & South West Improvement Rankings.
His numbers are remarkable. Ethan has increased his average from 47.12 over his previous 50 legs to 65.91 across his latest 50 legs – an improvement of 18.79 points, or almost 40%.
That doesn't necessarily mean Ethan has suddenly become a completely different player overnight. It may simply show someone who has worked through a difficult period, found confidence again, and is now producing the level he is capable of.
That is exactly why I enjoy this report so much.
Behind Ethan are several players who continue to move in the right direction, including Christopher Willcocks, Christopher Staples, Joshua Rees, George Freeman, Natalie Baxter, Benny Watkins and Jamie Davey. Each has shown significant improvement over their most recent performances, proving that consistent development often matters more than one-off results.
Improvement isn't always a straight line
It's important to remember that this isn't a permanent ranking.
Players who appear near the top this month may naturally drop back next month once those improved performances become part of their longer-term average. Equally, players who are currently outside the Top 50 may suddenly climb the list after putting together a few strong tournaments.
That's exactly how improvement works.
Nobody keeps getting better every single week forever. Even the best players experience dips in form. The difference is that they recover.
The players to watch
| Rank | Player | Previous 50 | Last 50 | Improvement | Improve % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethan Williams | 47.12 | 65.91 | +18.79 | 39.88% |
| 2 | Christopher Willcocks | 51.47 | 60.40 | +8.93 | 17.35% |
| 3 | Christopher Staples | 52.34 | 61.39 | +9.05 | 17.29% |
| 4 | Joshua Rees | 43.65 | 50.64 | +6.99 | 16.01% |
| 5 | George Freeman | 36.24 | 41.98 | +5.74 | 15.84% |
| 6 | Natalie Baxter | 48.57 | 56.19 | +7.62 | 15.69% |
| 7 | Benny Watkins | 55.22 | 63.70 | +8.48 | 15.36% |
| 8 | Jamie Davey | 52.52 | 60.20 | +7.68 | 14.62% |
| 9 | Brooklyn Anthony | 57.62 | 65.63 | +8.01 | 13.90% |
| 10 | Cruz Morse | 38.20 | 43.51 | +5.31 | 13.90% |
| 11 | Beau Murton | 48.88 | 55.38 | +6.50 | 13.30% |
| 12 | Jenson Swift | 43.95 | 49.77 | +5.82 | 13.24% |
| 13 | Markk Valentino | 48.13 | 54.39 | +6.26 | 13.01% |
| 14 | Gavyn Griffiths | 46.95 | 53.03 | +6.08 | 12.95% |
| 15 | Jac Thomas | 53.84 | 60.50 | +6.66 | 12.37% |
| 16 | Kieran Thomas | 52.83 | 59.23 | +6.40 | 12.11% |
| 17 | Alfie Milroy | 28.89 | 32.35 | +3.46 | 11.98% |
| 18 | Logun Godbeer | 59.58 | 66.42 | +6.84 | 11.48% |
| 19 | James Pryer | 50.15 | 55.79 | +5.64 | 11.25% |
| 20 | Phil Bisset | 53.23 | 59.21 | +5.98 | 11.23% |
| 21 | Arnold Szasz | 43.18 | 47.96 | +4.78 | 11.07% |
| 22 | Steven Rees | 69.26 | 76.67 | +7.41 | 10.70% |
| 23 | Todd Marfell | 55.88 | 61.80 | +5.92 | 10.59% |
| 24 | Pec Parkinson | 58.33 | 64.49 | +6.16 | 10.56% |
| 25 | James Taviner | 55.44 | 61.08 | +5.64 | 10.17% |
| 26 | Kian Baker | 41.01 | 45.08 | +4.07 | 9.92% |
| 27 | Reece Harding | 53.69 | 58.90 | +5.21 | 9.70% |
| 28 | Harley Hunt | 39.30 | 43.10 | +3.80 | 9.67% |
| 29 | Joel Farrell-Humphreys | 52.79 | 57.87 | +5.08 | 9.62% |
| 30 | Edward Manley | 70.18 | 76.91 | +6.73 | 9.59% |
For me, one of the most encouraging signs is seeing the same names appear in the Improvement Rankings again and again.
If a player can consistently remain inside the Top 50 Improvers, it usually suggests they are steadily developing their game rather than relying on occasional good nights. Those are often the players who quietly climb the Q4QS rankings over the course of a season.
This report isn't designed to replace the main rankings.
Instead, it complements them by answering a different question:
Who's getting better?
Whether you're chasing your first tournament win or trying to break into the top tier of South West darts, improvement is ultimately what matters.
Keep improving, and the results usually follow.
I'll continue updating the Q4QS Improvement Rankings throughout the season, and it'll be fascinating to see who keeps moving upwards as 2026 progresses.
