AFLW 2024 - Round 4 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Bradshaw said he would be happy to play anywhere. He said he had recovered well from his first game in two years, was pain free and ready to resume his 181-game career.
"I was blowing a bit during the game because it was so hot," Bradshaw said.
"I still need some match practice but I felt really good. I took some marks and everything felt good."
I hope its another boy! That would be 4.
Two Bradshaws up forward and two down back in 18 years would be nice.
Goal-machine Daniel Bradshaw will make his AFL return after missing last season with a knee injury, giving the Lions a much-needed second weapon to complement star forward Jonathan Brown. "I think when Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw have both played over the last couple of years, I'd think our win-loss ratio has been pretty good. The two of them there it makes it harder for the opponents to double-team," Matthews said.
Bradshaw set for senior return
3:39 PM Thu 20 March, 2008
The Vodafone Brisbane Lions have named a strong team ahead of their AFL season opener against the Eagles on Saturday night at Subiaco.
Dual club leading goal kicker Daniel Bradshaw has been named in the Lions team and will travel to Perth and play his first senior match in almost 18 months. After playing for a half against the Swans in the Lions’ final NAB Challenge match, the match committee felt that Bradshaw offered another quality option up forward.
The 29 year-old and co-captain Jonathan Brown are set to play their first senior match alongside each other since Round 10 of 2006. The ‘dynamic duo’ will also join Jared Brennan in what shapes as an explosive forward set-up.
Bradshaw's best yet to come for Lions
March 25, 2008 - 5:54PM
A cameo performance by Daniel Bradshaw has convinced Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews that his recovering forward can get back to his best - albeit in a month's time.
Matthews once again lamented the Lions' reliance on Jonathan Brown after the Coleman Medallist kicked six goals in their AFL season opening 16-point loss to West Coast at Perth last weekend.
In his first game since missing 2007 due to a knee reconstruction, Bradshaw kicked three second half majors in a burst of inspiration but otherwise went missing.
Matthews said Bradshaw "came up well" after the season opener - but was taking a long term view to the goal machine's recovery.
"He only got involved in the match a little bit but he should be much better in a month than he is now," he said.
"We are just playing him now because we believe he is better than the other alternatives."
Matthews once again made it clear he did not want Brown to shoulder the Lions' goal scoring burden in their blockbuster against Collingwood at the Gabba on Friday night.
Asked what he thought of Brown's six goal effort marked by key AFL defender Darren Glass, Matthews said: "I am thinking I wish a few others could join in.
"Jonathan was exceptional. When Daniel Bradshaw joined in for a quarter we actually looked okay.
"But you just can't be a one man forward line.
"Clearly no player is good enough to be a one man forward line.
"We want to get from Jonathan what he is capable of giving - which is a lot - but we really need a few more to assist."
Lions roar keeps lifting Bradshaw
Author: Simon White
10:32 AM Thu 03 April, 2008
STAR Brisbane Lions forward Daniel Bradshaw was grateful for the noise of the Gabba faithful last Friday night when he successfully ran down Collingwood opponent Tyson Goldsack.
Bradshaw’s chase, which earned a “holding-the-ball” decision and set up his second goal of the second quarter, was greeted with a roar of delight by Lions fans – happy to see the two-time leading goal-kicker back in full flight after a year out with a knee reconstruction.
In fact, Bradshaw believes the electric atmosphere during the fiercely-contested blockbuster may well have been a factor in his crowd-pleasing effort.
"Being a key forward, you don’t get too many opportunities to chase a guy down like that, so it was great," Bradshaw said.
"One thing we try and do as forwards is push up the ground a bit when the ball is going the other way and I was just making my way up to the midfield when it happened.
"I don’t think the other Collingwood player that handballed it to Goldsack realised I was there and I don’t think he heard me either - even though I was only a few metres away - the crowd was pretty loud.
"Luckily I was able to sneak up and pin his arms and then managed to kick the goal."
Bradshaw’s three goals – all kicked in the first half – helped the Lions to a thrilling two-point win over the Magpies.
Having also kicked three goals in the third quarter of the round-one clash with West Coast, Bradshaw has certainly had an impact in his return from a year on the sideline.
He hopes that impact will become more sustained and consistent as he gains match fitness.
"I’ve been feeling pretty good out there but so far I’ve really only been getting involved in small patches – one or two quarters," he said.
"I think it’s just a matter of getting games under my belt and building a bit of consistency into my play over four quarters.
"The more times I can get my hands on the footy, the more comfortable I’m going to feel and the more confident I’m going to become."
While he’s aiming for more consistent contributions to the Lions’ cause, the 29-year-old says his body has coped well with his three games back from injury.
"I’ve actually been pulling up really well," Bradshaw said.
"Obviously there was a fair bit of rehab involved in the injury and on the way back I did heaps and heaps of work involving turning – which I how I did the knee in the first place.
"Before the first game back (against Sydney) in the pre-season, I spoke to my doctor and he said that once you are able to do that kind of turning work, it means you are pretty much right to go.
"The knee has felt really strong and hasn’t really played on my mind at all."
