Bradley was drafted early in the
2003 AFL draft, with Essendon's first selection at number 6 overall. He made his AFL debut in the first game of the 2004 season – Essendon's 96-point loss to Port Adelaide – and finished with 5 games in his debut year. A very tall and agile player, Bradley has played as a forward, defender, wingman, ruckman and even ruck rover. 2005 saw Bradley mainly used in key defensive positions by coach
Kevin Sheedy and he became a more permanent fixture in the side. In 2006 he was selected for all but one game. However, the first half of 2007 saw Bradley's opportunities limited to just two appearances, largely due to the recruiting of former
Brisbane full-back Mal Michael and the meteoric rise of young
Paddy Ryder, both playing key roles in the Essendon defence alongside veteran
Dustin Fletcher, leaving little room for another tall player in the backline. Bradley's fall from grace was put down by many to his crucial mistakes in the
Anzac Day clash, where a risky kick across goal was intercepted by
Tarkyn Lockyer, costing the Bombers a goal. After this match, his disposal skills were put under increased scrutiny and he only played two more games for Essendon. Nevertheless, as a versatile player, he was prominent as a forward for the
Bendigo Bombers, winning their
best and fairest award and being their leading goalkicker. ==Fremantle career==