He finished with six goals - including a booming torpedo from the boundary line, 60m out - as the Swans scored a 20-point win against the Brisbane Lions.
It was a timely reminder to coach Michael Voss - who offered the dual premiership forward to Carlton in exchange for Brendan Fevola - of his former charge’s talent.
While Bradshaw admitted he was nervous before the game, he played down its significance.
“At the end of the day, [it didn’t matter] if I didn’t kick any, as long as we won. That’s all I wanted to do,” he said.
“To contribute six goals was good for myself but it was more important to get the win.”
A modest Bradshaw said his match-turning goal was as much a result of good luck as it was skill.
“I don’t practice torpedoes that often, so I really had nothing to lose,” he said.
“I didn’t think I was going to make the distance but I hit it sweet and it actually didn’t deviate at all. It just went straight through so I knew straight off the boot that I’d hit it pretty good.”
He was duly mobbed by his teammates after the ball split the middle and Bradshaw acknowledged the importance of the moment.
“To kick it after the siren, there was a bit of momentum there,” he said.
“It helped us going into the last quarter and I think they were just excited because you don’t really expect to kick those goals. I was just lucky enough to hit it sweet.”
