A promise to his little boy inspired a rare Ted Richards goal during the Sydney Swans’ ANZAC Day Round win against West Coast.

Richards, who had managed only 32 goals in his 16-year and 256-match career before Saturday, converted from outside 50m to put the Swans back in front.at the 23-minute mark of the second quarter.

It sailed through much to the amazement of the SCG crowd, commentators, teammates and the goal-kicker himself, who by his own admission, lapped up the celebration.

Richards must have felt something in the morning’s wind because, revealing post-match, he’d actually promised to kick a goal for his four-month-old son, Beau, who was attending his first game.

“I said I’d kick a goal for him. My wife laughed. Turns out I did,” Richards said.

“He obviously won’t remember it so hopefully there’s a photo or something like that because it was a special day.

The Richards family will look back on Round 5, 2016, with glowing pride after the defender’s best-on-ground performance.

The veteran starred with 22 disposals and 10 marks to earn the HMAS Sydney II Medal.

“I was pretty surprised with that too,” Richards added.

“It’s my 16th year of football and it’s never happened before where I’ve had the honour of receiving such a medal and making a speech.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it and soaked it up.”

There’s only a nice little highlight reel which included a spectacular mark on top of his first goal in three seasons.

His last was in New Zealand in the Swans’ 2013 ANZAC Day clash with St Kilda, the first game played for premiership points outside of Australia.