Former Lion Daniel Bradshaw starred against his former team with a six-goal haul as Sydney survived a significant test of their AFL finals credentials with a 20-point victory over Brisbane at the SCG.

Bradshaw still harbours some hard feelings towards his former club after being offered as trade-bait last season, but Brisbane's record goal-scorer responded in the perfect fashion to lead the Swans to a 16.11 (107) to 13.9 (87) win.

Sydney had won four straight games to soar to the top of the ladder but all four wins were against sides in the bottom half of the league.

However their impressive triumph over a fellow top-four hope takes them to 5-1 for the year and back above St Kilda into top spot.

Brisbane's second straight loss drops them to 4-2.

Bradshaw capped a sensational performance when he was paid a mark outside 50m on the three quarter-time siren and unloaded a massive torpedo from the right wing and was mobbed by his new teammates.

Jude Bolton starred for Sydney with 20 possessions and two goals despite copping two heavy head knocks during the game, while Adam Goodes (three goals) and Ryan O'Keefe (26 possessions) were also key to the victory.

Jonathan Brown was outstanding for the visitors, finishing with 17 touches, six marks and four goals, while youngster Todd Banfield (three goals) stood out and Brendan Fevola kicked four goals, but the Lions had too many passengers on the night.

Brisbane dominated the opening 10 minutes, with Brown dispelling any concerns about his fitness with a commanding start, kicking the game's opening two goals.

It took until the 15-minute mark of the first term for Sydney to take a mark inside 50, with Bradshaw proving too strong for Joel Patfull and kicking truly to ignite the crowd and spark a total momentum swing.

Three Bradshaw goals in a seven-minute span gave the Swans the lead before late majors to Jarred Moore and Bolton made it five straight for the home side and a 17-point quarter-time lead.

The margin had stretched to 42 points when Goodes kicked his first and while the Lions fought back to get within 10 points late in the third term, Sydney were comfortably the better team for the majority of the game.

Both Sydney coach Paul Roos and his Brisbane counterpart Michael Voss felt Bradshaw's outrageous torpedo goal was a significant factor in the result.

"If it goes off the side of the boot he looks like a goose," Roos said.

"But when it goes through the crowd starts roaring, his teammates jump all over him and everything's like a fairytale." Bradshaw was thrilled to get the victory in his first match-up against his former side.

"As long as we won, that's all I wanted to do," he told reporters.

"To contribute six goals was great for myself but more importantly getting the win.

"I was a little bit nervous before the game but I thought it would be a lot worse." The Swans managed to prevail despite an ankle injury to Mark Seaby early in the game and a dislocated shoulder to Dan Hannebery, while Bolton and the returning Ted Richards both suffered concussion.

Bradshaw proved the difference, a sentiment echoed by his former teammate Voss.

"He moved very well and ... he obviously got the better of Joel (Patfull) and when Matt Maguire went down there he did okay," he said.

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