NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

New this week

Jack Cochrane

20

East Kilbride Pirates Youth

FGT

1

Player punched an opponent in the head. Player was disqualified from game and suspended by officials for final game of tournament.

Already Served

Alfanso Litchmore

99

London Hornets

FGT

2

Kicked an opponent after the play.

03/07/16 v Cambridgeshire Cats

David Trevor

44

Staffordshire Surge

TGT

4

Player made forcible contact to an opponent using the crown of his helmet.

03/07/16 v Lincolnshire Bombers

Adam Fleet

54

Birmingham Bulls

FPF

3

During a free kick return the player flagrantly hit an opponent in the back with excessive force and speed after the play was over. This caused a bench clearance by both teams, though order was quickly restored with the help of the coaching staff from both teams.

26/06/16 v Doncaster Mustangs

Blair McTague

31

East Kilbride Pirates

TGT

2

Just after the QB released the pass, the player contacted him at the head with the crown of his helmet.

25/06/16 v Merseyside Nighthawks

Previous weeks

Steve Davey

76

Bristol Aztecs

TUF

1

Ejection was rescinded by the calling official.

None

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

New this week

Staffordshire Surge

Field markings quite faint. Game delayed for approximately ten minutes in the second quarter due to a stake snapping after it was hit by a player. Eventually a repair was fashioned using a tree branch and copious amounts of tape.

Jed Brookes-Lewis #395

03/07/16 v Lincolnshire Bombers

Portsmouth Dreadnoughts

End zones are only 7 yards deep. Field markings were faint and became fainter after a mid-game shower. Field surface uneven with patches without grass.

Jim Briggs #31

10/07/16 v Bournemouth Bobcats

Lancashire Wolverines

After the pitch had been remarked for the junior game which preceded this game we had 5 yard lines, endzones and hash marks in the middle. The coaches boxes and sideline hashes were faint but the official agreed the game could go ahead. By the end of the game the central hash marks had all but disappeared due to the inclement weather

Lee Taylor #183

03/07/16 v Tamworth Phoenix

Hastings Conquerors

Well marked 90-yard field although markings were quite faint. Inbounds lines not always 1-yard apart & numbers too large and at incorrect depth.

Tim Ockendon #481

10/07/16 v East Kent Mavericks

Bournemouth Bobcats

The standing water meant one end line was incomplete and the game was played using only one goal

Julian Mallia #336

07/08/16 v Maidstone Pumas

Birmingham Bulls

One set of goalposts were too wide: they were Gaelic football posts.

Darryl Morton #493

31/07/16 v Ouse Valley Eagles

Outstanding items from previous weeks

Manchester Titans

The start of the second half was delayed as the chain crew had been replaced and required briefing.

Ben Griffiths #228

26/06/16 v Edinburgh Wolves

Kent Exiles

Plaudits to the game day staff for remarking lines between games which had become faint in the heavy rain of the first game.

Lee Wood #517

10/07/16 v Solent Thrashers

Solent Thrashers

Field markings were faint in comparison with some other sports' lines. Goals beyond end line by about a yard.

Jim Briggs #31

17/07/16 v Sussex Thunder

Humber Warhawks

Limit Lines at 12', no 9yd marks or numbers.

Chris Jarvis #10

26/06/16 v Lincolnshire Bombers

Dundee Hurricanes

The balls presented by the home team did not have white stripes - the away team did not object or offer any alternate balls.

Ian Sneddon #427

24/07/16 v Northumberland Lightening

London Blitz B

There was no team area. Hash marks went into the endzone (although the centre markings were erased by the team) and the down box broke during the day preventing a 1st or 2nd down being shown

K Wickham #423

03/07/16 v Wembley Stallions

Essex Spartans

Changing rooms not lockable, no private shower/toilet. Numbers marked on field are too wide - although correctly placed with the top at 9 yards.

Phil Clarke #262

10/07/16 v London Blitz B

South Wales Warriors

The field was generally well marked out, but the field markings had been faded due to overnight rain. The inbounds has marks were too thin and difficult to see from the sidelines. No nine yard marks, small numbers on one side only and positioned approx 4 yards from sideline.

Amir Brooks #593

26/06/16 v London Warriors

London Warriors

90-yard grass field, although surface was uneven with patches of bare earth interspersed with large tufts of uncut grass. No numbers, 9-yard marks or limit lines and team areas marked out with cones. Two of the game balls provided were under-inflated and all were well worn. Away team were offered the option to provide game balls in better condition but declined. Away team changing rooms were a tent compared with the home team changing indoors. Prior to the officials taking the field there were reports of altercations between players interfering with opponent's practices by entering their half of the field.

Tim Ockendon #481

03/07/16 v London Olympians

Jurassic Coast Raptors

This was the first game ever for the chain crew but despite this they performed very well. It is hoped that they will come on during future games as they are going to do all their home games.

Julian Mallia #336

26/06/16 v Cornish Sharks

West Coast Trojans

Due to a motorway incident the away team was delayed, and the kick off was 30 minutes later than scheduled.

Ian Sneddon #427

26/06/16 v Clyde Valley Blackhawks

Bristol Apache

Field is generally well marked out, but the limit lines are too close to the sidelines (approx 6 foot), and the coaching areas are only marked out to the 30 yard lines.

Colin Edwards #76

10/07/16 v Torbay Trojans

Glasgow Tigers

Endzones were 8 yards.

Shawn Sombati #15

03/07/16 v Dundee Hurricanes

Farnham Knights

No limit lines. Other than that, a well marked field.

Pete Parsons #321

26/06/16 v London Blitz

Sussex Thunder

The game kicked off 15 minutes late. The medical cover was delayed by heavy traffic heading into Brighton.

Jim Briggs #31

03/07/16 v Hertfordshire Chetahs

Lincolnshire Bombers

On arrival I was informed only 1 set of goal posts were available. So all offensive plays were played towards the goal. 4 different colours painted on field and the ones we use were in dark red and not that visible. 90 yard pitch only.

Larry Rigby #269

17/07/16 v Humber Warhawks

Cornish Sharks

The field is generally well marked out, although the sideline yard marks were too short. The goals were soccer goals with long planks strapped to the uprights, and are therefore wider than regulation (24', rather than 18'6"), and the crossbar is lower than regulation (8' rather than 10'). Only one ball boy was provided by the home team, leading to the down box man acting as ball boy. With approximately 6 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter, the game was suspended for 10 minutes to treat a suspected neck injury. He later requested to re-enter the game which the home team head coch initially disagreed with. After lengthy discussion between the head coaches and medical staff (which led to the half time interval lasting for more than 30 minutes), the registered paramedic who was providing medical cover cleared him to play.

Amir Brooks #593

10/07/16 v Oxford Saints

Merseyside Nighthawks

Field markings in yellow - generally very good but not always level across field

Mike Cavanagh 465

17/07/16 v Tamworth Phoenix

Oxford Saints

Nine yard marks were marked near the hashmarks. No numbers on the field. Changing room was too small for a five man crew and not enough seats for all officials.

Mike LeFevre #341

03/07/16 v Bristol Apache

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, 4th and 1, on B's 6. The score is tied with 13 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. A4's attempted Field Goal is wide. Team B was offside at the snap. The penalty is enforced with seven seconds on the clock. The referee starts the clock on the ready for play and time expires before the ball is snapped. Can the officials correct this timing error?
Ruling?

Last week

Play: In overtime, it is 4th and 10 from the Team B 25 yard line. A5 throws a legal forward pass towards A99. While airborne, A99 bats the pass backwards towards A79, who catches the ball at the Team B 16 yard line. A79 then advances the ball to Team B's 12 yard line, where he is tackled. Ruling? (This was Q58 on this year's BAFRA exam).

Ruling: The bat by A99 is legal, since any player eligible to touch a pass may bat the ball in any direction (9-4-1-a). A79 is not eligible to touch a forward pass though, since he is ineligible by number and no team B player has yet touched it (7-3-5). The foul for A79's illegal touching of the forward pass is 5 yards from the previous spot. Team A will get 4th down again, 4th and 15 from the Team B 30 yard line (7-3-11).

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: As team A are huddling before a PAT, the Linejudge on a 5 man crew notices that the Referee is rolling his hands above his head. What is the Referee trying to signal? How should the Linejudge respond?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: 1st and 10 on the A40. QB A3 throws a legal forward pass to A88 on the B45. A88 rises to catch the ball and falls to the ground holding the ball. On a 4 man crew, the only official with a view of the catch is the Linejudge. As A88 comes to the ground the Linejudge can see that the player has possession of the ball until he hits the ground. The ball then disappears from the Linejudge's view as A88 contacts the ground heavily. A88 then gets up and is holding the ball. Ruling?
Answer: Although officials must make use of positive knowledge, there will always be situations when there is doubt over a call. If there is doubt over whether the ball touched the ground during a catch, then the ball is ruled to have not touched the ground. In this case the Linejudge should seek input from the other officials, though if all their views are blocked must make use of 'in doubt' principles. Since all the conditions of a legal catch have been met in this instance, the Linejudge should award the catch. A's ball, 1st and 10 on the B45. This situation highlights the importance of the Umpire and wing officials all having a view on a catch on a 4 man crew. (M-6-1-2).

Date

Event

Contact for details

2016

July 23^rd (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 30^th (Sat)

BAFRA Elite Training Day

elite@bafra.org

August 27^th (Sat)

Britbowl

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

Charlie Dean Young

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

Peter Parsons

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.