BAFRA Newsflash

http://www.bafra.org

Issue: 31/12

9^th August 2012

GAME DAY PAPERWORK

Just another reminder that all game day paperwork now needs to be sent to:

BAFRA

98 Bolton Grove

Barrowford

Lancashire

BB9 8PB

Please do not use the address on the forms for future returns and amend the current stock of forms you hold. Any forms printed from the website in future should have the correct address.

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.org

2012 BRIT BOWL GAMES

The Bowl Selection Committee is pleased to announce the following crews for the 2012 BAFA NL Bowl games at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield over the weekend 25^th/26^th August

	Premier Bowl	Division 1 Bowl	Division 2 Bowl	Youth Bowl
Referee	Brian Yates	Dean Wright	Tim Ockendon	David Knight
Umpire	Davie Parsons	Henry Richardson	Graham Hedges	Martin Gibson
Head Linesman	Les Connor	Steve Tonkinson	Richard Vernon	Norman Cox
Line Judge	Pete Thom	Graham Coleman	Ian Sneddon	Julian Mallia
Back Judge	Keith Wickham	Peter Parsons	Tim Vickers	Dan Bridgland
Side Judge	Ben Griffiths	Mike Cavanagh	Alan Dobson	Phil Clarke
Field Judge	Jim Briggs	Martin Cockerill	Simon Ryan	Amir Brooks

Please join the selection committee in congratulating the crews on their appointments.

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org

BOWL GAMES: CLAIMING YOUR FEE AND TRAVEL EXPENSES

Congratulations to those selected for Bowl Games. A couple of reminders on financial issues for bowl games:

Match Fees: Referees please complete an on line Crew Request For Payment form after the game to ensure the crew receives their match fee.
Travel Expenses: Please include travel expenses on the Game Report Form as normal. These will then be paid with other outstanding travel expenses. Also a reminder that normal travel expenses policy still applies and officials are required to travel together where ever possible.

Andrew Lovell

finance@bafra.org

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AWAY

I shall be away from Thursday 9^th August to 28^th August. Charles Young will be available for any finance questions during this period.

Andrew Lovell

finance@bafra.org

TIMING RULES

I have noted some references in recent incident reports to a "running clock". There is no rule that allows a period to be played without the clock stopping by rule. If time is short, then the periods should be shortened - a zero-length third quarter is a possibility if there is not thought to be sufficient time to play a full second half, though playing two 6-minute quarters might be fairer (especially if wind or field conditions are different at each end). Remember that the two head coaches must agree to shorten the game. If either team does not agree, and play has to stop due to darkness, then the game is officially "abandoned", not completed, and the league would have to sort out the outcome. (Note that what is described here is different from the situation where an official may with good reason and due regard to the safety of the players "forget" to stop the clock in a blow-out game.)

I actually wrote the paragraph above in March and it appeared in the 15^th March edition of Newsflash. It would seem it bears repeating.

Jim Briggs

rules@bafa.org.uk

BAFRA CHARITY

On behalf on the board can I thank all members that have contributed to our Charity, Cancer Research UK. Excluding any donations made direct to the charity, contributions from Members and BAFRA itself means we will send £1,200 to Cancer Research UK.

Once again well done and many thanks for supporting this worthwhile cause.

Andrew Lovell

finance@bafra.org

PLAUDITS

Plaudits to Nottingham Caesars Game day manager, coaches and players from both Nottingham and Lancashire, and Harvey Hadden Stadium Ground staff for their understanding and commitment to get this play off game completed despite very challenging circumstances:

Lancashire's coach broke down on way to game, meaning KO delayed until 3:35pm
Ground staff wanted game finished by 5:15pm
So both coaches agreed to 4 quarters of 15 minutes running clock
With 3:13 left in 1st quarter game suspended for 7 minutes to treat an injured player
At 4:06pm, with 6:16 left in the second quarter game suspended for 1hr 30min due to thunder and lightening
Ground staff agreed to allow play to continue until 6:30 pm
At 5:10pm ambulance staff advised they where only booked until 5pm, and would require additional payment for them to stay longer
Game resumed at 5:35pm, and remaining 6:16 of 2nd quarter was played
Both coaches agreed to waive half time interval, and 12 minute running clock for second half.
Game finished at 6:25 without further incident.

The game was played in excellent spirits, with no 15 yard penalties

Andrew Lovell

#559

RESULTS

BAFA Premiership

Tamworth Phoenix 14 – 19 London Olympians

BAFA Division 1

Lancashire Wolverines 14 – 20 Sussex Thunder

Berkshire Renegades 39 – 7 Nottingham Caesars

BAFA Division 2

Sheffield Predators 42 – 7 Clyde Valley Blackhawks

Oxford Saints 24 – 42 Milton Keynes Pathfinders

Peterborough Saxons 33 – 6 Cornish Sharks

Edinburgh Wolves 36 – 6 Chester Romans

DISCIPLINARY CASES

NAME	#	TEAM	CODE	Q	OFFENCE	SUSPENDED
New this week – none

Previous weeks
Carl Leonard	99	Shropshire Revolution	FGT	3	Punched an opponent in a pile.	BUAFL or next season.
Martin Punter	77	Edinburgh Wolves	FGT	2	Player tackled opponent by throwing him to the ground, and then retaining hold of him. Player continued to tighten his grip before being removed.	12/08/12 v Sheffield Predators
Anthony Ellis	36	Essex Spartans	FUC	3	Two unsportsmanlike fouls. Player then continued to verbally abuse officials after being ejected.	This is the player's second ejection of the season, he will be suspended for 2 games.
Graham Lightfoot	10	Doncaster Mustangs	FGT	2	After hitting a player OOB he punched an opponent and continued to brawl. After being separated he threatened the opposing player verbally.	This is the player's second ejection of the season, he will be suspended for 2 games.
Note: it is the responsibility of the individual teams to ensure that their suspended players serve their suspensions in the proper game (according to the BAFA Disciplinary Code), and any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.

GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS

HOME TEAM	REPORT	NEXT HOME GAME
New this week
Nottingham Caesars Youth	See the plaudits above. Andrew Lovell #559	Unknown
Leeds Varsity Bobcats	At the stroke of half time lightning caused the game to be suspended for 50mintues. The game would have been resumed, however with 10 minutes remaining of the mandatory 30 minutes after the last peel of thunder the Manchester Titans coach conceded the game as 3 of their 14 players became incapacitated by injury. Both teams played the first half with great athleticism and sportsmanship. Chris Jarvis #10	Unknown
Peterborough Saxons	Yard lines only every 10 yards, no numbers or 9 yard marks. Game suspended for lightning for 30 minutes with 3 minutes remaining in the 2^nd quarter, teams agreed to the half time interval at that point, so at end of 2^nd quarter, we moved directly to the 3^rd quarter kick off. Brian Yates #29	12/08/12 v Milton Keynes Pathfinders
Outstanding items from previous weeks – none

END ZONE

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, 3rd and 6, on B's 45. A16 completes a legal forward pass to A88 on B's 33 and A88 advances to B's 28 where he fumbles. B22 muffs the ball on B's 24. A39 recovers the ball on B's 18 where he is grounded. A16 was roughed by B96 while A88 was a runner. Ruling?
Ruling?

Last week

Play: A's ball, 4th and goal, on B's 8. Runner A33 runs to B's 6 where he is hit and fumbles the ball. The ball rolls into Team B's end zone where A24 falls on the ball. After the ball is dead, B56 piles on A24. Ruling?
Ruling: B's ball, 1st and 10, on B's 3. The fourth down fumble by Team A was recovered in advance of the spot of the fumble. The ball is returned to the spot of the fumble, B's 6, which is short of a first down. The series ends. The 15-yard penalty for B56's dead ball personal foul is enforced from the succeeding spot, B's 6.

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: After a forward pass has been thrown, how much time should the umpire spend continuing to observe the action in the vicinity of the line of scrimmage before turning to assist deep and wing officials with the pass?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: How should a Linesman and Linejudge work together during a penalty enforcement to ensure that yardage is marked off correctly? Note that this is not a free kick play.
Ruling: M-19-3-6 & M-19-3-8. The Linesman shall move the same distance as the Umpire and ensure that the distance moved is correct. The Linejudge shall remain at the enforcement spot until all officials are happy that the penalty has been enforced correctly.

CALENDAR

Date	Event	Contact for details
2012
August 25^th (Sat) / 26^th (Sun)	BAFA NL Finals Weekend
October 28^th (Sun)	NFL @ Wembley
November 17^th (Sat)	BAFRA Board Meeting	secretary@bafra.org
February 16^th (Sat)	BAFRA Board Meeting	secretary@bafra.org
March 31^st / April 1^st	BAFRA Convention	president@bafra.org
May 11^th (Sat)	BAFRA Board Meeting	secretary@bafra.org
July 20^th (Sat)	BAFRA Board Meeting	secretary@bafra.org

BAFRA Directors
President	David Parsons	president@bafra.org	General Secretary	Paul Sutton	secretary@bafra.org
Finance	Andrew Lovell	finance@bafra.org	Operations	Richard Vernon	operations@bafra.org
Recruitment	James Meredith	recruitment@bafra.org	Training	Pete Thom	training@bafra.org
Director without Portfolio #1	Martin Cockerill	dwp1@bafra.org	Director without Portfolio #2	Steve Tonkinson	dwp2@bafra.org

The opinions expressed in this Newsflash are those of the contributors, and not necessarily of BAFRA or its Directors.

All Incident Reports to be submitted via www.bafra.org.

Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.org) is midnight Tuesday.

Editor: Dean Wright - Email: newsflash@bafra.org