Issue 04/23 2nd February 2023
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
QUALIFIED – DANIEL WELLS
Congratulations to Daniel Wells on completing all of the requirements necessary to become Qualified.
Thanks to Jim Briggs and all those who are helping with Dan’s training.
James Ford-Bannister - Director of Training
QUALIFIED – CRAIG GROVE
Congratulations to Craig Grove on completing all of the requirements necessary to become Qualified.
Thanks to Jason Mead and all those who are helping with Craig’s training.
James Ford-Bannister - Director of Training
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | CODE | Q | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED | |
New this week | |||||||
Jesper Miguel | 89 | Aberdeen Bulls | FUC | 3 | With 1:15 remaining in the third quarter, #89 used profane language directed towards the covering official. | 5th February 2023 v UWS Pyros | |
Josh Rickatts | 5 | Gloucester Gladiators | TUF | 3 | With 1:22 remaining in the third quarter, following an earlier UC flag for dead ball pushing of an opponent, #5 was facing an opponent. There was some minor pushing and shoving and #5 then threw himself to the ground in simulations. When #5 was aware that he had been given his second UC foul, he responded angrily and, as he was moving towards the sideline, threw his helmet violently to the ground. He repeated this action again when he was in the players box. | 5th February 2023 v Worcester Royals | |
Thomas Harburn | 1 | Northumbria Mustangs | TUF | 4 | Player received his first UC forcibly removing a player from a pile during the thirrd quarter. In the fourth quarter, after disagreeing with a call despite being explained to him by the calling official, ran across the field shouting obscenities The player then continued swearing about the officials after leaving the field. | 23th February 2023 v Leeds Gryphons | |
Previous weeks | |||||||
Jax Crawford | 7 | UWE Bullets | FUC | 4 | With 1:30 remaining the fourth quarter, after being tackled, #7 reached out and grabbed SGS #55 to prevent him from getting up. #7 grabbed hold of #55s facemask, and, using his weight, jammed his head into the ground | 5th February 2023 v UEA Pirates | |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Bath Spa Bulldogs | Field fairly poorly marked on a rugby pitch (NFL-width hash marks, inconsistent inbound hashmark distances, no three-yard marks, no team areas marked, and inconsistent gaps between end lines and the goal posts.) Only two games balls were provided and the game kicked off 15 minutes late due to the delay in arrival of the away team. With 4:19 remaining in the first quarter, there was a serious injury to an away team player and play was suspended for 10-15 minutes as he was treated, removed from the field, and driven to the hospital. The game was able to resume when the physio returned to the field having finished the on-site treatment. The game was tetchier than it ought to have been due to the attitude of a few players on both sides. Francis Bevan #474 | Unknown |
Bournemouth University Bobcats | Coaching box marked between the 25-yard lines. No marked team area, so the numbers were used to indicate where the line should be. No numbers or nine-yard marks. No limit lines. Changing rooms lockable but shared with officials on other sports. Peter Parsons #321 | Unknown |
Brunel Burners | Changing room just about adequate for crew of four and was lockable. Well marked field. In the third quarter, one member of the chain crew was replaced following some disagreement with the opposing sideline and loud questioning of a penalty called against his team. Andrew Murrell #608 | 12th February 2023 v Imperial Immortals |
Edge Hill Vikings | On arrival it was noted that the end zones were five-yards deep at each end. With the agreement of the officials and both head coaches the five-yard lines were used as the goal line. The hash marks were very short and not very wide. Lee Taylor #183 | Unknown |
Edinburgh Napier Knights | Team areas marked with cones. Field markings were faint. Gordon Galloway #7 | Unknown |
Gloucester Gladiators | Changing rooms were not lockable. 80-yard field. Julian Mallia #336 | 5th February 2023 v Worcester Royals |
Keele Crusaders | Prior to kick off, several mole hills needed to be filled in. With 1:06 remaining in the second quarter, play was suspended to treat a seriously ill player, and half time was taken early with agreement of both coaches. After half time interval, the player was still undergoing medical treatment, and the game was further suspended for 30 minutes before the player was handed over to an NHS ambulance, and the game resumed. Plaudits to both teams for resuming the game in excellent spirits and sportsmanship. The thoughts and best wishes of crew go to the injured player. Andrew Lovell #559 | 12th February 2023 v Nottingham Green |
Kent Falcons | Well marked 90-yard field in red with other sport markings in yellow, blue, and red. Team area perimeters marked out with cones. Rugby lines approximated for team area lines & nine-yard marks. No numbers or limit lines. Kick-off delayed by 35 minutes due to late arrival of visiting team. Tim Ockendon #481 | Unknown |
Kingston Cougars | 100-yard field with a significant walk from the changing facilities. Facilities, whilst lockable, were not private as agreed - key was retained by facility manager who could grant access to anyone. Bags were stored in car. Game Day Management were very slow to provide any assistants, support needed to garnered from the HC to progress their supply. Field needs remarking as some key lines are very faint, such as hash marks and numbers. Hash marks are too wide, so lateral position was estimated. No coaches areas or team areas marked on one sideline - this was marked with cones by the away team. Other sideline has a team area marked, but is done so all the way to the goal lines. One set of posts rotate, but this was straightened before kickoff. During the game, the field churned up significantly, causing some major lines to be difficult to see. Chain broke during pregame checks - this was corrected with tape by the HL. Balls provided were very worn and under-inflated. Michael Hansford #594 | 5th February 2023 v Canterbury Christchurch Chargers |
Loughborough Students | No team areas or coaching boxes marked but other sports markings approximated to the required sizes. Brian Yates #29 | 5th February 2023 v Staffordshire Stallions |
Northumbria Mustangs | 90-yard field marked in red. Coaches’ boxes marked with cones. Liam Wooton #478 | Unknown |
NTU Renegades | Field markings in red but clearly visible. No team areas, a combination of other sports markings and cones used in lieu. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | Unknown |
RHUL Bears | No nine-yard marks. No coaching boxes or team areas marked. Dean Wright #553 | Unknown |
Solent Redhawks | 100-yard field with recently repainted markings - predominantly in yellow. No limit lines or numbers but markings at nine-yards present. Team areas marked between the 25-yard lines. Chain Crew personnel changed multiple times throughout the game. James Ford-Bannister #479 | Unknown |
Stirling Clansmen | No limit lines, numbers, or marks at nine-yards. Coaching box and team areas marked with cones. Henry Richardson #25 | Unknown |
Swansea Titans | 90-yard field with team areas only marked out to the 25-yard lines. The short yard-line extensions at the sideline were very short, just a few inches long. The usual officials changing room was unavailable, as it was being used for a soccer match, so the crew used a public changing room at the venue - with lockers available for storing kit. Amir Brooks #593 | 5th February 2023 v Bournemouth Bobcats |
UH Sharks | No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Hask marks at NFL-width. Lines were faint and difficult to see in sunshine. Team areas were missing and had to be marked out with cones. As usual, the changing room was too small for a crew of four, so a second similar sized room was used. David Hewitt #607 | 5th February 2023 v Glasgow University Tigers |
Worcester Royals | One of the match balls became deflated during the game, but a suitable replacement was found. Stuart Tabberer #348 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Birmingham Lions | There were no coaches boxes marked. In places, the hash marks were so faint they were impossible to see. Keith Wickham #423 | 11th February 2023 v UEA Pirates |
Cardiff Cobras | The goals are set back from the end line because there is insufficient space between the goals and the perimeter fence. The chains were in poor condition with one end being made up with cable ties, shoe laces, and similar to achieve the full 10-yards. Following earlier reports from previous games, this was checked prior to kick off with sufficient time to make and repairs. The field is marked with yellow lines and with the low sun this became invisible from one side line and otherwise difficult to see unless you were close to the lines. Julian Mallia #336 | 5th February 2023 v Birmingham Lions |
Coventry University Jets | Coaching area and team area marked with cones. No nine-yard marks or three-yard marks. Joel Pearson #405 | 5th February 2023 v NTU Renegades |
Derby Braves | Team areas were absent. Pylons at the hashmarks-extended were absent. Otherwise a well marked 90-yard field. Paul Todd #289 | 5th February 2023 v Lincoln Colonials |
DMU Lions | Field marked in black with no team areas. Otherwise, well marked. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 5th February 2023 v Leicester Longhorns |
Edinburgh Predators | Field markings were faint. The game kicked off at 4pm so floodlights were on and did not help with the field markings. Team areas marked by cones. Gordon Galloway #7 | 4th February 2023 v Leeds Gryphons |
Greenwich Mariners | Game was scheduled for 13:00, however both teams had pre-agreed 13:30. Whilst there had been some initial communication about a possible change, BAFRA did not appear to receive the actual confirmation that it had been delayed. 90-yard field marked in blue with markings for other sports in yellow, white, and red. No numbers or nine-yard marks were present. Down box is over eight feet tall so there were errors adjusting it to the right number on occasion. Game had numerous injury delays in all four quarters that, whilst individually were not greater than five minutes, combined to around 30 minutes in total. Last half of the fourth quarter was officiated as a crew of three, due to injury to the Umpire. Changing room too small and not lockable so the public gym changing area was used instead. Phil Clarke #262 | 12th February 2023 v City Wolfpack |
Heriot-Watt AFC | Game was delayed for approximately 25 minutes due to a UWS injury, this had a knock on effect for the second half as the field had to be vacated by a certain time to allow a soccer game to start. UWS finished the game with 11 healthy players, but to their credit they did finish the game Gordon Galloway #7 | 5th February 2023 v Sunderland Spartans |
Leeds Beckett Carnegie | 80-yard field. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Several other sports markings on the field and in close proximity to the endzone. No player or coaching areas but these were marked out with cones. 30 minute injury delay with six minutes remaining in the second quarter. Robin Boyd #191 | 5th February 2023 v Newcastle Raiders |
Leeds Gryphons | 80-yard field with eight-yard end zones. Team areas are marked out with cones. The yellow markings at halfway disappear when full floodlights are active. There are no three-yard marks or nine-yard marks. Chris Jarvis #10 | 5th February 2023 v Northumbria Mustangs |
Leicester Longhorns | NFL-width hash marks and coaches’ boxes marked by cones. Game kicked off 30 minutes after advertised time due to a misunderstanding between teams about agreed kickoff time. Joel Pearson #405 | 23th February 2023 v Derby Braves |
Liverpool Raptors | No coaches box and team box short, although coaches mostly kept inside their areas. John Roberts #145 | 5th February 2023 v Bradford Bears |
Nottingham Gold | Lines are in red and the team areas are not the required distance from the field and marked to the 25-yard lines. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 4th February 2023 v Stirling Clansmen |
Nottingham Green | Lines are in red and the team areas are not the required distance from the field and marked to the 25-yard lines. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 4th February 2023 v Cambridge Pythons |
Southampton Stags | Minor issues with field markings (lines too wide in places, coaching boxes marked to the 10-yard lines). Goal posts strapped to fences surrounding the playing area. Great hospitality from home team management to provide snacks and hot drinks in the officials' changing room. Crew would also like to thank the officials who turned up from the postponed Royal Holloway game, they made a great chain crew that really helped out. Dean Wright #553 | 12th February 2023 v Bournemouth University Bobcats |
Sussex Saxons | 90-yard artificial turf field marked in blue. Lines are faded in many places and will need remarking soon. The End Lines are too close to the playing enclosure fence so existing white markings, approximately two yards into the marked end zones, were used. No limit lines, team areas, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Snow began to fall prior to kick off and continued for the remainder of the game. Game Management and Players/Coaches/Staff from both teams used practice equipment to uncover key markings at half time to support the continuation of the game. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 12th February 2023 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes |
Tarannau Aberystwyth | 100-yard field with NFL-width hash marks. Teams areas only marked out to the 25-yard lines. No nine-yard marks or three-yard PAT marks. The goals appear to be wider than rule (approx 20' in width). Amir Brooks #593 | 8th February 2023 v Bath Killer Bees |
UWE Bullets 2 | The officials used the usual two small officials’ changing rooms at the venue. However, only one changing room had a key available, as the key for the other room had been lost. Team areas are only marked out to the 25-yard lines and there are no limit lines, otherwise the field is well marked out. Amir Brooks #593 | 12th February 2023 v Worcester Royals |
Warwick Wolves | The field markings were in blue and hard to see. The away sideline had been repainted away from the old line, so we had two lines 3" apart. Mike Roberts #32 | 12th February 2023 v Coventry University Jets |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: 4th and Goal at the B-7. Ball Carrier A20 is hit at the B-4 and fumbles, and B94 bats the grounded loose ball at the B-2 back into their own end zone. A47 sees the loose ball and recovers while the ball in the end zone.
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Last week | Play: A 1st and 10 and the B-25. Running Back A32 received the hand-off and carries the ball across B’s Goal Line. During A32’s run B99 clips A88 at the B-10.
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: When should the Referee give a preliminary signal following a penalty? What should the other officials be doing while the Referee is giving a preliminary signal?
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Last week | Game Situation: When should the uncatchable pass signal (S17) be used? Answer: It should only be used when contact that would have been pass interference occurs on a pass that is uncatchable (M11.4.12, M12.4.13, M13.4.11, M14.4.13, M15.4.12). It should not be used when the pass was uncatchable but any contact was not pass interference. |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Richard Moger | ||
Finance | Stuart Tabberer | Operations | Roger Goodgroves | ||
Recruitment | Susannah Taylor | Training | James Ford-Bannister | ||
Director without Portfolio #1 | Peter Parsons | Director without Portfolio #2 | Steve Tonkinson | ||
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.info. Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.info) is midnight Tuesday. |
