PAUL NICHOLSON is hoping that the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters can help kick-start his year, admitting that he is looking to regain some consistency during his return to Australia.
The former Players Championship Finals winner and Australian World Cup representative has slipped out of the PDC's top 16 in the past year after failing to reach any ranking finals since May 2013.
However, he showed signs of a return to his best during the BetVictor World Matchplay - winning a gritty first round clash with Robert Thornton before losing narrowly to Wes Newton - and returns to action in the World Series of Darts double-header in Australia.
Nicholson will firstly be competing this weekend in the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters before then travelling on to Sydney, and is hoping to use his return to Australia as a launchpad for a strong second half of 2014.
"I've been a little bit erratic but I feel like my form is definitely there, and I'm searching for some consistency at the moment," said Nicholson, the winner of five PDC ranking titles since breaking through as the Australian number one in 2008 whilst based in Melbourne.
"When that levels out, I think I've got the game to supercede what I've done before, which is very exciting. I think that the work I'm putting in away from the cameras and away from the circuit is definitely going to pay off.
"I've shown a little bit of form this season but it's all about getting some consistency with my new equipment, and I'm looking forward to the future.
"When you've had a little bit of a lull, like I've had over the last 12 months, you've got to have a point where things will kick back in. I've got faith in my ability and I feel like something is coming.
"I've got the potential, and hopefully in the next few months you'll start to see the best of me."
Nicholson will face qualifier Shane Tichowitsch in Friday's first round at the Perth Darts Masters, and added: "It will be a really tough game because Shane's a top player with a lot of experience.
"He's been around on the Australian circuit for a long time and we've had a few battles in the past, but he's also been up on the big stage in the World Championship stage.
"I've had the privilege of playing against some of the local players - like Kyle and Beau Anderson - before as well, but we don't know some of the other qualifiers so you're not sure what to expect.
"With darts, you can't affect what your opponent does, we can only affect what we do. When you're playing someone you've played before it's a little bit easier, but you can only play your own game to the best of your ability."
With the Perth Darts Masters heading for a three-day sell-out at the Challenge Stadium, Nicholson added that fans in Western Australia will be entertained by the best players in the sport this weekend.
"We like to describe darts as the best party in town," he said. "We bring an air of professionalism and skill to the game, and the fans bring the party to the viewers.
"The viewers want to be part of the crowd and we want to entertain them as best we can, and that's only going to get better with the opportunity to go to other continents.
"The fans have a voice and that's a great thing because they can get involved. We've got the talent and it's up to us to give them the entertainment."