THE MORNING LINE - WODONGA INVITATIONAL

 

The cowboys posted their third-highest riding percentage of the season last weekend in Mildura and tonight they head 600km upstream the Murray River for the 2019 Wodonga Invitational.

We have seen most of this bullpen perform at the past two PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour events so the cowboys should have their eye in and continue to produce impressive numbers.

Here are the must-see matchups:

Round 1 Matchups

Lachlan Richardson on Switch Back (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls):
Switch Back got the better of Richardson earlier this season when he posted 43-points in their 2.92-second matchup at Yass. He predominantly turns left and as his name suggests, switches back to the right. Richardson's form is much better currently than what it was last time they met. If the Gresford cowboy can remain in good shape until the bull reverses direction, he should finish strong.

Cliff Richardson on Twisted T (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls):
Richardson has covered four straight bulls, and seven of his last eight since the Monster Energy Tour resumed in Grafton. At the last two tour stops, Twisted T has given up rides of 82 and 83-points to right-handed riders, and that trend should continue here with an inform righty aboard. 

Aaron Kleier on Buck (Diamond S Bucking Bulls):
Buck looks an outstanding draw for Kleier, and he should get his night started right. This bull produces an honest trip, and he gets covered around one-third of the time for that reason. He will look to the right and turn back into Kleier's hand to the left. It has been a long time since Kleier has bucked off a bull that has entered an anti-clockwise rotation in PBR competition, and I don't expect that streak to end here.

Round 2 Matchups

Brady Fielder on Coors Light (John Gill & Sons):
The Rookie has not had the smoothest of runs through the last couple of Monster Energy Tour events, and it doesn't appear to get any easier here. Coors Light has bucked of all eight riders that have climbed aboard him this season. He will turn left, buck with no rhythm, and make it difficult for the right-handed Fielder to get comfortable on him.

Aaron Kleier on Homicide 2 (John Gill & Sons):
Kleier has covered eight of his last nine bulls and if his Round 1 matchup goes to plan, has a great chance at staying perfect here. Since Homicidal 2 went back to bucking from the right-side chutes four outs ago, he has been turning back to the left. The bull is yet to give up a ride to a left-handed rider, but that could change here with the No. 1 ranked bull rider in the country climbing aboard. 

Fraser Babbington on Eight Gauge (George Hempenstall):
These two combined for a qualified ride worth 83.5 points at Newcastle last season but Babbington will need some luck if he is to replicate that performance. The Kiwi was the last of the three riders to cover Eight Gauge, with the bull going on to buck off nine straight riders. The bull doesn't have a set pattern and has plenty of tricks in his repertoire.

Nathan Burtenshaw on Broken Halo (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls):
Broken Halo has been hard to get by in the 2019 season with just one rider making the whistle from twelve tries. He is a smart bull that seems to react to the feel of the rider and adapt his trip to suit. Burtenshaw put together a solid second-place finish last weekend in Mildura, and that confidence will get him a long way into this matchup.

Lachlan Richardson on Wallaby Bob (John Gill & Sons):
Wallaby Bob carried Lawson Nobbs to victory last weekend in Mildura, and he looks an ideal second round draw for Richardson. Right-handed riders have produced four of the seven qualified rides recorded aboard this bull with around 60% of his PBR opponents lasting the distance. Wallaby Bob can go left, and he can go right, but he bucks at a great tempo.