PAUL NICHOLSON is looking to head a two-pronged Australian assault on the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, which begins next weekend.
Nicholson and Oceanic Masters winner Russell Stewart will represent Australia at Alexandra Palace, having respectively drawn Adrian Gray and Adrian Lewis in the first round of the tournament.
While the recent Grand Slam of Darts was Nicholson's first televised appearance, Stewart has a wealth of experience on the big stage.
But Nicholson, the Australian Grand Prix champion who narrowly lost out in the group stage in Wolverhampton, believes he will be better for his time in front of the television cameras last month.
"It definitely was an experience, to say the least," said Nicholson, who defeated Gary Anderson in his opening game but went down to Darryl Fitton and Kevin Painter.
"I'm actually very happy with how things turned out because it was a rude awakening to TV darts.
"I've watched the games back and I learned a lot from watching myself and also listening to the commentary of Alan Warriner-Little and Chris Mason.
"I saw what I did wrong and now I can move forward and learn from it, and become a better player.
"There are some improvements to be made but I was very happy with the way I played.
"Beating Gary was a fantastic accomplishment for me because I know what calibre of player he is, he's a great darts player.
"I've looked back at the other two games and I really could have beaten Darryl and Kevin, and the experience as a whole has given me a lot of confidence.
"I was upset after I lost to Kevin Painter and a part of that was the realisation that I wasn't going back up there; it was a new sensation that I wasn't used to.
"A lot of players come on TV for the first time and don't settle but I felt very comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed the experience - I can't wait to get back up there."
Stewart has previously competed 11 times in the Lakeside Championship and was a star of the game in the 1980s who is now looking to make his mark in the PDC when he faces world number six Lewis.
"You'll see a lot of smiles from Russell," said Nicholson. "I was there when he won the Oceanic Masters to qualify for this and I know how badly he wanted to get back here.
"He was there in the hey-dey and knows a lot of the older players and wants to pit himself against the young blood and see if he can do it one more time.
"I know him quite well, we've been battling against each other all year and I know he's good enough.
"If he lifts his game he's incredibly dangerous."
Nicholson, 29, has dominated the DartPlayers Australia circuit over the past 12 months to ensure his place in the World Championship, but never looked too far ahead despite his lead in the rankings.
"I was visualising it this time last year but whether it was realistic or not I don't know," he admits.
"I wasn't looking at it in a realistic sense until about June or July, after I went to Las Vegas.
"This time last year I won the Australian Singles and around February I felt my game was lifting even more and I was averaging over 100 on a regular basis.
"I thought if I could keep that up and be consistent throughout the majority of the season I'd have a shot at this, but I was so focused on the task ahead it didn't hit me until I qualified.
"I didn't want to get my hopes up and then have them dashed, which was part of my mental preparation that I've been doing all year."
Newcastle-born Nicholson also believes that he has improved greatly as a player since claiming his first title at the Australian Singles in December 2007.
"I do believe that over the last year and a half I've come from being a 26-27 average player to one averaging 30-plus, and I think I can get better," he added.
"I practiced with Kevin McDine for a week between the Grand Slam and the German Darts Championship, and I've had some time with my family in the north-east.
"I'm back in a nine-day practice now of six to eight hours a day and have an exhibition in Littlehampton with Russell Stewart too before the World Championship.
"If I can harness that form and learn from the Grand Slam and Germany, I can get on stage, focus even more and push it to some of the bigger players.
"I'll be ready, and if I can beat Gary Anderson, I can pretty much beat anybody."
Tickets for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship are still available - click here for further details