NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

New this week – none

Previous weeks

Deon Murray-Hendrickson

25

Kingston Cougars

FGT

2

Player threw a punch at an opponent after the play was over.

29/11/15 v Bath Killer Bees

Benjamin Sogunle

22

Northampton Nemesis

FPF

4

On the last play of the game a Northampton player intercepted the pass while on the ground, the player rose to his feet and seemed to be starting to run when he was tackled by a DMU player. Northampton #22 took offence at this and charged into the DMU player forcibly and from behind.

29/11/15 v Leicester Longhorns

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

New this week

Kent Falcons

Played at Park Wood Field. 90-yard field marked in red with rugby markings in white. End zones only 6 yards deep so the 5-yard lines were used as the goal lines and the field length reduced to 80 yards. Hashmarks too long and inbounds lines at incorrect (NFL) depth. Numbers at incorrect depth, no 9-yard marks & team areas marked out with cones. Game balls provided were not at correct pressure. Rectifying this and problems providing officials' assistants lead to the game kicking off 5 minutes late. Changes to officials' assistants at half-time lead to the second half kicking off a few minutes late. 1 minute timeout taken at 1.59pm at the request of game management to commemorate the anniversary of the death of a Kent player.

Tom Ockendon #481

29/11/15 v Cambridge Pythons

Gloucester Gladiators

Gloucester changed the venue on Friday due to their normal pitch being waterlogged. The changing room for teams and officials was locked and the person with the key never showed. Therefore, the officials changed in the toilets at the ASDA across the road. Start of game delayed 40 minutes due to late arrival of Bournemouth. The field was 80 yards long, marked in red with no hashmarks on the sidelines. However full credit to Gloucester for getting the field looking as good as it did with the time they had.

Mike LeFevre #341

06/12/15 v Bath Spa Bulldogs

LJM Fury

Lines are painted in yellow. Three-yard mark is on the two yard line. Team areas were marked with cones.

Aminul Hassan #534

13/12/15 v Liverpool Raptors

Imperial Immortals

KO delayed by 15mins at the request/agreement of both teams due to late arrival of both teams. No numbers/9 yard marks and no team areas. Hash marks at the sideline extended through the sideline out of bounds. Otherwise the field was fairly well marked. 4 good quality balls provided but all were flat. The away team had to provide a pump in order to inflate them to a suitable pressure.

Steve Leonard #370

29/11/15 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Manchester Tyrants

Game kicked off 42 minutes late due to lack of medical cover. 90 yard field. No nine yard marks. 3 yard mark actually at 3 and a half yards.

Dan Holt #371

06/12/15 v York Centurions

Solent Redhawks

Crossbars on the goals are not on the endline - slightly overhang into the endzone. Field markings are yellow and become invisible when the sun reflects at a certain angle, but are visible under normal circumstances. Game management should be applauded for ensuring the availability of chain crew and ball boys prior to the game. Chain crew all first time crew members and were excellent.

David Knight #135

24/01/16 v Surrey Stingers

Southampton Stags

Game started late as crew arrived later than expected from a previous game in a double header. Goals are attached to a fence approximately 2 yards behind the endline. Game played under floodlights as a 3:30 KO and on punts and KOs the ball disappears into the darkness before returning to the flood lit area. Field is covered in rubber crumb so much so the lines have to be cleared to see them. Game played in a good spirit by both teams and the game winning TD that broke the tie was scored with 12 seconds left in the game.

David Knight #135

06/12/15 v Brunel Burners

Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Team areas marked with coloured cones, No numbers or 9 yard marks, two wires across the field 10 foot off the ground.

Pete Thom #200

06/12/15 v Imperial Immortals

Brunel Burners

The main lines on the field were marked in blue, with the hash marks at the sideline marked in red. There were no hashmarks in the middle of the field, nor were there any numbers or nine-yard marks. The team areas were marked to the 23-yard line in each direction. The officials assistants were provided very late and there were multiple changes made to the chain crew. Initially, only two useable footballs were provided. The goal posts were 1 yard behind the end line. Changing rooms were not lockable.

Pete Parsons #321

24/01/16 v Portsmouth Destroyers

Outstanding items from previous weeks

City Sentinels

80 yard field, marked in mainly blue with some white markings present. Changing rooms not lockable.

Phil Clarke #262

29/11/15 v Westminster Dragons

Northumbria Mustangs

Game K.O delayed 25 minutes to allow arrival of approved medical cover which had gone to the wrong venue. No 9 Yard marks, NFL style hash marks, 8 yard end zones.

Ian Cubitt #457

06/12/15 v Newcastle Raiders

UCH Sharks

The 100yd Field was probably one of the best I've seen at a university venue, the only lines that were missing 9 Yard Marks. The Chain Crew were rather slow to react to first down situations but got there in the end.

Chris Jarvis #10

29/11/15 v Leeds Beckett

Bristol Barracuda

The lines were generally worn and faint, in some places they were non-existent. Although short lines were marked at the inbounds mark they were missing on the side-lines. Advised Game Management that this was now mandatory. However, as they only hire the facilities they have limited powers to get additional markings applied. Although this was their second home game it is the first one held at this facility. Could you please advise what action should be taken if in future they fail to have hash marks along the side line. The stake for the down box had obviously been broken in the past and was too short. The assistant raised the box on each change of down so that it could be seen from the opposite side line.

Julian Mallia #336

29/11/15 v Bath Spa Bulldogs

Sussex Saxons

Game started 5 minutes late because we were again awaiting for the team to provide chain crew and ball boys. Field well marked but was very muddy by the end of the game and lines began to disappear. Both teams conducted themselves very professionally and are a credit to the league - just wish we could get these game management provide the assistance issues sorted

David Knight #135

07/02/16 v Brighton Tsunami

Kingston Cougars

Well marked field missing 3 yard marks and with numbers at incorrect depth. Team areas marked with cones. Goals had been blown perpendicular to the end line by strong winds. Plaudits to game management for their simple and effective solution. Balls supplied were all under inflated. Problems with rectifying this and supplying officials' assistants lead to the KO being delayed by 10 minutes.

Tim Ockendon #481

13/12/15 v Imperial Immortals

Worcester Royals

Changing rooms very dirty with no lights. Field excellently marked.

Jed Brookes-Lewis #395

06/12/15 v NTU Renegades

Sheffield Sabres

Field of play 80 yards - no formal team areas marked but other marking utilised.

Richard Whitby #133

13/12/15 v UCH Sharks

Leicester Longhorns

NFL hash marks, no team areas, no nine yard marks.

Pete Thom #200

22/11/15 v Lincoln Colonials

Essex Blades

Team area marked only by cones. PAT spot incorrectly marked at the 2 yard line.

John Griffin #598

29/11/15 v OBU Panthers

MMU Eagles

Field marked with 3 yard end zones. Field shortened by rule to use 5yd line as GL

Andrew Lovell #559

29/11/15 v York Centurions

Bristol Barracuda

Game was moved on Saturday Afternoon/Evening to SGS College WISE with a 16:00 kick-off. Just prior to game, crew were informed that the venue staff had told Game Management the game had to finish by 18:30 and venue cleared by 19:00. so it was agreed that half time would be 10 minutes only. With 11:55 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Game Management was informed that the venue staff had decided that they wanted to shut by 18:30 so Coaches and Referee agreed to go to running Game Clock for remainder of game. Game ended at 18:10.

Albert Lambert #461

29/11/15 v Bath Spa Bulldogs

Westminster Dragons

The crew was not notified of a change of venue. Four of the 5 crew arrived at the venue in good time to find that nobody was there. We contacted Operations and were able to discover the actual venue, East London Rugby Club, which is the likely future location of Westminster's home games. The Referee was being forced to travel to the game by rail replacement bus. He was unable to travel to the new venue in any kind of reasonable time, and the game was officiated by a crew of 4. The game kicked off an hour late after the crew made their way to the new venue. The field currently in use at East London RFC is not either of the three rugby pitches. (Crews should still change in the rugby club changing area.) It is a re-purposed soccer field located behind the five-a-side cage. It is 80 yards with soccer goalposts, which were appropriately padded. It was marked on the morning of the game to a creditably high standard. No team areas, and one sideline was slightly uneven. One of the end zones was considerably larger than the other, although both were of legal size. Both head coaches agreed to play all downs in the direction of the larger end zone and to play without field goals. The home team provided only two footballs. Chain crew extremely slow. The Westminster head coach told us that the team will be significantly revising its game management procedures before its next home game.

Alan Dobson #308

24/01/16 v LSBU Spartans

Durham Saints

Changing room is quite a way from the field. Also, officials for another sport were given access to our changing room while we were officiating.

Dan Holt #371

29/11/15 v Stirling Clansmen

Derby Braves

Only 1 set of goals, one way mechanics used. Neither team objected.

Ian Wainwright #567

06/12/15 v Durham Saints

UCLan Rams

90 yard field which was well marked, no coaches or players boxes marked but both teams were very well disciplined on their respective sidelines

Lee Taylor #183

29/11/15 v Sheffield Sabres

UEL Titans

Hash marks not straight down the field but 1 yard apart. One end zone 2 yards bigger than the other yet with both head coaches agreement, we played the game as normal and not one way. There were no uprights on the goals, as soccer goals were used; both had good padding. Therefore no field goals were taken. Chain crew left at half time but adequate time before second half began to prepare new crew. Chains broke on 3 occasions.

John Griffin #598

06/12/15 v LSBU Spartans

Nottingham Outlaws

No goalpost at either end.

Ian Wainwright #567

05/12/15 v Staffordshire Stallions

Northampton Nemesis

All 3 game balls were worn. No separate changing room for officials. Had to use team changing rooms

Brian Yates #29

29/11/15 v Leicester Longhorns

NTU Renegades

Field was marked as metres. Game management state that it will be rectified by next home game.

Brian Yates #29

29/11/15 v Worcester Royals

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, 2nd and 10, on A's 20. QB A15 scrambles to A's 21 and is beyond the line of scrimmage where he throws a pass to A83. B43 pushes A83 out of the way at A's 45, intercepts and runs to A's 10 where he fumbles. B43 recovers while grounded on A's 5.
Ruling?

Last week

Play: A's ball, free kick, on A's 30. The Referee signals the ready for play. A6 picks up the ball and punts it. B27 returns the ball to A's 14 where he is downed.

Ruling: A kickoff must be a place kick or a drop kick. Note that this differs from a free kick after a safety, which can be a punt. All the action was with a dead ball. Penalise Team A 5 yards for an illegal kick. A's ball, free kick, on A's 25. (2-16-5 & AR 6-1-2-I)

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: Which official is responsible for informing coaches of the exact time when the two minute warning is called?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: What are the 3 ways to mark a dead ball spot (and their order of desirability)?
Answer: M-5-7-1. In descending order of desirability, 1: with a ball (placed so its axis is parallel to the sideline); 2: with your foot; 3: with a bean bag.

Date

Event

Contact for details

2015

December 5^th (Sat)

Opal Series Final

2016

February 16^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

April 2^nd and 3^rd

BAFRA Annual Convention & AGM

president@bafra.org

May 7^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 23^rd (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

19^th November (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

BAFRA Directors

President

David Parsons

president@bafra.org

General Secretary

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.org

Finance

Chalies Dean Young

finance@bafra.org

Operations

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org

Recruitment

Kevin Stanton

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.