Dardoch joins Team SoloMid for the 2020 LCS season

Team SoloMid has made official what rumors suggested earlier, confirming Joshua “Dardoch” Hartnett as their primary jungler for the upcoming 2020 League of Legends Championship Series season.

The organization revealed Dardoch’s addition to their competitive lineup through social media channels, emphasizing this move as a long-awaited development while extending a formal welcome. This opportunity represents a significant career reset for the jungler, who spent most of the previous competitive year competing primarily within OpTic Gaming’s developmental squad, despite achieving limited success at that competitive tier.

Dardoch joins TSM four years after the first tryouts

Dardoch’s history with TSM extends back several years, as revealed in the team’s official announcement video where he discussed previously participating in evaluation sessions back in 2016. Those initial assessments didn’t result in a roster position, leading him to continue his professional development with Team Liquid while alternating between their primary and reserve lineups.

Following that period, his professional journey included competitive tenures with Immortals, Counter Logic Gaming, and Echo Fox organizations before landing with OpTic Gaming for the 2019 LCS competitive season. However, even with OpTic, he struggled to maintain consistent placement on their main competitive roster throughout the year.

When OpTic underwent organizational transition to become Immortals at the beginning of the 2019 competitive calendar, Dardoch entered the free agent market. With most 2020 starting lineups becoming established across the league, TSM secured his services as the organization pursues returning to its championship-winning legacy.

“Throughout my professional journey I’ve competed alongside numerous players across various organizations, but what distinguishes this situation is the immediate championship expectations,” Dardoch explained during the official team announcement video. “Our competitive mindset regarding victory and seasonal objectives demonstrate clear alignment across the entire roster.”

Professional analysts note that successful team integration requires more than individual skill—it demands cohesive communication strategies and role synchronization that often takes weeks to develop. Teams frequently underestimate the adjustment period needed when integrating new players into established systems, particularly in the strategically complex jungle position that requires coordination with all laners.

TSM fans welcome Dardoch

Despite Dardoch not yet establishing himself as the cornerstone of a championship-caliber team during his career, TSM supporters have responded positively to this roster acquisition. This favorable reception stems largely from persistent challenges TSM encountered throughout the 2019 LCS season regarding their jungle position, cycling through multiple players including Mingyi “Spica” Lu, Jonathan “Grig” Armao, and Matthew “Akaadian” Higginbotham across different competitive phases.

Following a disappointing fifth-place conclusion to the regular season and failure to qualify for the 2019 World Championship tournament, this prominent North American organization faces significant pressure to demonstrate improvement entering the new competitive year. The fanbase largely attributes TSM’s underwhelming performance at least partially to inconsistent jungle play, viewing Dardoch as a potential solution to restore the team’s competitive dominance.

Successful jungle integration in professional League requires mastering three critical elements: efficient pathing optimization, objective control timing, and adaptive gank patterns based on lane matchups. Many aspiring professional junglers fail to recognize the strategic depth required beyond mechanical execution.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Dardoch joins Team SoloMid for the 2020 LCS season Dardoch finally joins TSM after four-year journey through multiple LCS teams and academy rosters