The topics in this section are based on the following model which breaks the game into 4 main football moments :

This model is taken form The FFA national curriculum resource.

The problem with this model is that it uses 'text book' terminology. This may work for coaches studying the game,  but may not necessarily work for the players playing the game. With this in mind the image below tries to translate this model into something that players can more easily digest and use when playing.

Pic #1 : Win the ball : Keep the ball : Lose the ball : Hunt the ball : Repeat

Pic #2 : Expresses this as a more detailed flow diagram.

This model will be used to establish some notes (see tables below) on the 'system of play' developed in this resource.

The pages in this resource are still very much works in progress. They are constantly being refined and improved,

but even in their current form still offer lots of value to developing players.

[There will be a snapshot of each page below the table, but this will not be available until all the System of play pages are finished.]

Where to start

We start looking at the moments within the game where we do not have possession:

Training should always be about 'individual' and 'team orientated' ability on the ball, but when it comes to results, winning is made much easier if our defending is good. So in terms of studying the game start with making sure we can defend well when necessary. This doesn't mean we are sacrificing a developmental style of play to get better results. It just means that we don't want our good play in possession to be undone because we do not know how to defend well.