Daniel Bradshaw

Daniel Mark Bradshaw (born 21 November 1978) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Bradshaw is best known as being a dual premiership forward for the Brisbane Lions.

Bradshaw was drafted by the Brisbane Bears in the 1995 National Draft, from Wodonga, at pick 56 in the fourth round.

His athleticism and marking was highlighted by recruiters, with the Bears expecting him to become a key-position prospect.

Bradshaw made his debut in his first season at the club, in round 18 against Richmond at Optus Oval.

He played the next two games off the bench, aged 17, at the same ground.

In his second year of football, 1997, Bradshaw played seniors for the first time in Round 8 at Subiaco against Fremantle, and dominated kicking four goals, and earning the AFL Rising Star nomination, in his fourth Australian Football League (AFL) match.

A week later he booted six goals against Geelong at the Gabba, his first game at home.

He played every game for the season since his addition, being a regular goalkicker.

He kicked another bag of seven goals against Hawthorn in Round 18 at the Gabba, and four other games of three goals including the Qualifying Final against St Kilda.

He finished equal fourth in the Rising Star, and kicked 35 goals for the season in 16 games.

Bradshaw played an inconsistent 1998 season, as the Lions finished last.

He kicked 19 goals in 16 appearances, dropped twice during the season to the QSFL.

In 1999, Bradshaw suffered leg stress fractures and missed the entire season.

In 2000, Bradshaw returned to play a terrific season, despite a rough patch before the mid-season break.

He kicked 16 goals in the first four-week, including seven against the Western Bulldogs at Colonial Stadium.

He kicked 3 goals in his next three matches, all coming against St Kilda, before being dropped.

However he replaced Alistair Lynch as a late change to the Round 8 clash against Essendon, but had no gametime.

After playing in the reserves where he dominated, he came back into the line-up, playing the rest of the home and away season.

In his comeback game he kicked another career-high seven goals against West Coast.

He kicked another two bags of five goals for the remainder of the season, finishing with 56 goals at the end of the home and away season, and sat eighth on the table.

In his final series, however, in his qualifying final he was contained to one kick, while he pulled out of the semi-final against Carlton to be by the side of wife Angie for a premature birth of son Jake.

He polled eight votes in the 2000 Brownlow Medal.

In the 2001 season, in which the Lions became Premiers, he kicked another 46 goals in 20 games.

An important part to the side, he played at both ends if needed, but with Lynch and Jonathan Brown up forward, he was out of favour at times.

He still kicked five goals or more in a match on six occasions, including three games in a row mid-season.

He played every final, including the 2001 AFL Grand Final.

He continued to struggle in the finals, averaging only three touches in his last four big games.

In 2002 Bradshaw's position as a forward was not secure, and he was used as a utility more often than not.

His accurate kicking and mark provided him with 38 goals in 20 games, with eleven goals coming in rounds 2–3.

He was dropped just before the finals, but was a late replacement in the Round 21 and 22 games for Craig McRae and Darryl White respectively.

He re-injured his knee and missed the finals series and a second consecutive Premiership.

After an inconsistent season, 2003 was similar, but Bradshaw missed only two matches, and he was used at centre half-back more than he had been.

When placed forward, he kicked six goals in a match twice, early and late in the season.

After struggling in the first two finals, he played a good role in the 2003 Grand Final against Collingwood, as Brisbane won its third consecutive Premiership, with Bradshaw involved in two.

In 2004 he played as a utility, but proved in the Final Series, he kicked sixteen goals in the last four games, including three goals in the losing side on Grand Final Day.

When required to play forward four games in the season he scored five or more goals including another bag of seven goals, this time against Essendon.

He kicked 40 goals in 22 games.

Bradshaw was more recognised as a key position player after two successful years, and in 2005 he again played at both ends, despite winning the goalkicking at the club due to the departure of Lynch.

He kicked 28 goals in 24 matches, and signed another three-year contract till the end of 2006.