The fourth phase

[Go_Dogs]

I have heard Bevo reference the phases of the game a number of times over recent years but the recent video released by the club is the first time I?ve heard him talk about the fourth phase.

Does anyone know whether this is a new approach / philosophy or have we always had four phases in how our coaching team and players viewed the game?

My reaction was ?this is brilliant?. We?re making it clear the importance of working hard and being alert for 120 minutes and making sure we?re giving or receiving direction during the game too. Sounds simple and obvious but it?s easy to lose focus on getting the basics right.

[ledge]

I have heard Bevo reference the phases of the game a number of times over recent years but the recent video released by the club is the first time I?ve heard him talk about the fourth phase.

Does anyone know whether this is a new approach / philosophy or have we always had four phases in how our coaching team and players viewed the game?

My reaction was ?this is brilliant?. We?re making it clear the importance of working hard and being alert for 120 minutes and making sure we?re giving or receiving direction during the game too. Sounds simple and obvious but it?s easy to lose focus on getting the basics right.


Just the new buzzword for “ put in for 4 quarters” ?

[meenies]

Four phases - offensive train of thought, defensive train of thought, stoppages, and without the ball (most of the game).
What does the community think our espoused actions are in each of these phases?
(skiing downhill should not be an espoused action)

[hujsh]

Just the new buzzword for “ put in for 4 quarters” ?

I think that's misunderstanding the message. You can give 4 quarters of effort without necessarily engaging with the '4th phase' Bevo is talking about there. What are you doing when we aren't attacking, defending or at a stoppage? Are you working to be in the best position in our structure? Are you still moving and creating issues for defenders with their matchups if the game does suddenly break? Are you holding your space as a winger? Are you directing team mates?

To me this is stuff you can dodge and still get your 8 touches a quarter but will make the team much better if you engage in it.

At least that's my takeaway.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think that's misunderstanding the message. You can give 4 quarters of effort without necessarily engaging with the '4th phase' Bevo is talking about there. What are you doing when we aren't attacking, defending or at a stoppage? Are you working to be in the best position in our structure? Are you still moving and creating issues for defenders with their matchups if the game does suddenly break? Are you holding your space as a winger? Are you directing team mates?

To me this is stuff you can dodge and still get your 8 touches a quarter but will make the team much better if you engage in it.

At least that's my takeaway.

This is the stuff we're extremely poor at imo. I'd assume this isn't new instruction to the players but maybe it hasn't been emphasised enough previously? Or are the players confused with what they should be doing?

When the opposition has the ball we often see a glut of our players jogging within almost 5 metres of each other, not particularly doing anything whilst one defender had 3 guys to man up. This is just one example. There appears to be no directives or desire to do anything.

The games where we've looked awesome there's been very little of that. That's a symptom. I've no idea the cause. Fitness? Laziness? No idea what to do?

[jazzadogs]

There were senior players who instantly said "fourth phase" when he asked what the 4 symbolised, so I don't think it's a new message.

It's probably my only concern with that video... Are these actually fresh ideas, or just the same things that have been getting ignored for years?

[MrMahatma]

I took the video as saying we haven’t been fit enough to do what we need in that phase, and that’s the phase that has let us down in the past. So not necessarily that the new focus is on that phase, but that to be able to implement what we need, we have to get fitter so we can move and think as we need in that phase.

Maybe it’s not a new idea, but a new approach to ensure we can execute it.

[hujsh]

I took the video as saying we haven’t been fit enough to do what we need in that phase, and that’s the phase that has let us down in the past. So not necessarily that the new focus is on that phase, but that to be able to implement what we need, we have to get fitter so we can move and think as we need in that phase.

Maybe it’s not a new idea, but a new approach to ensure we can execute it.

That's fair. It's harder to focus on those things when you're more fatigued. Also goes along with BT&T's point

When the opposition has the ball we often see a glut of our players jogging within almost 5 metres of each other, not particularly doing anything whilst one defender had 3 guys to man up.

That's the kind of thing you try to get away with

[Mavericks]

It was repressing this is finally a priority. Looks to me Egan and co have been in Bevo’s ear and he is on board which is promising. If the bevo of 15/16 returns and with Egan assuming greater responsibility we may be looking at a successful season.

Fitness has been an obvious problem for the last 2 seasons. The stats indicate this so new fitness staff and new coaching staff is a big positive for me

[bulldogsthru&thru]

That's fair. It's harder to focus on those things when you're more fatigued. Also goes along with BT&T's point


That's the kind of thing you try to get away with

Yeah it could indeed be fitness. To the supporters eye it could be mistaken as laziness but that's A LOT of lazy players.

You have to wonder why our fitness has been below the required standard. I guess it also raises other questions such as is the gameplan too taxing?

It at least seems we're working towards addressing the issues. Better late than never.

[ledge]

I want a phase 5 . Hard at the ball and opposition, start hurting teams physically, look mean play mean.
I think we lack that tough hard look and have for a few years.
There is pretty footy and there is ugly footy we need more ugly.

[Dazza]

I want a phase 5 . Hard at the ball and opposition, start hurting teams physically, look mean play mean.
I think we lack that tough hard look and have for a few years.
There is pretty footy and there is ugly footy we need more ugly.

I'd take a phase 6. Finishing in front of goal

[ledge]

I'd take a phase 6. Finishing in front of goal

That’s past counting on one hand, players will struggle with that.

[GVGjr]

It's a big focus of today's session

[spindles11]

Can someone pls explain the 4 phases?

[GVGjr]

Can someone pls explain the 4 phases?

Bevo did a presentation to the footy group and talked about the way we lost ground with our opponents late in the quarters and gave an indication that our training and preparation for the round 1 match will be the fittest, best and most ready team.
The focus on the 4th phase is about addressing that. When you have the ball, when you don't, are you running forward or defending etc.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Bevo did a presentation to the footy group and talked about the way we lost ground with our opponents late in the quarters and gave an indication that our training and preparation for the round 1 match will be the fittest, best and most ready team.
The focus on the 4th phase is about addressing that. When you have the ball, when you don't, are you running forward or defending etc.

My understanding (and this is certainly open to questioning) of the 4 phases is that its something like
1) when you have the ball
2) when you don't have the ball but our team has the ball
3) when the ball is in dispute - the contest
4) when they have the ball

[meenies]

liken the 4th phase to that stare you have when driving on the Hume Hwy or the road to Ballarat, where not much is happening and your brain fades away.
In footy, that is the 5-10 minutes when the opposition kick 5 quick goals and are using you as traffic cones.

[Go_Dogs]

Great to hear that it was a focus during training yesterday.

Interested to hear more how we’re trying to simulate that?

[54Bulldog16]

Improvement in this space will bring the greatest difference next year. Hopefully stops us getting picked apart on transition when we lose the ball. Be interesting to see how this coincides with a high press.

[Go_Dogs]

Improvement in this space will bring the greatest difference next year. Hopefully stops us getting picked apart on transition when we lose the ball. Be interesting to see how this coincides with a high press.

Yes, agree. I wonder how it influences our press and how we set the ground up. Some teams seem to be running on top of the ground and more readily able to out number on transition when the ball hits the deck. Im no expert, however suspect it’s part application, fitness and also structure that enables it. We’ll probably learn a bit more over summer.