Issue 20/23 24th May 2023
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
BAFRA DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE
There is a vacancy open to all members on the BAFRA Disciplinary Committee. If you would like to know more about what this role entails or if you wish to put yourself forward to be on this committee, please email me.
Richard Moger – General Secretary
MINUTES FROM THE RECENT BOARD MEETING
The minutes from the latest Board Meeting can be found here: eb20230513.pdf (bafra.info).
Richard Moger – General Secretary
BAFRA ELITE PROGRAMME 2023/24
With the conclusion of the exam period, applications are now open for the 2023/24 BAFRA Elite Programme.
The BAFRA Elite Programme (BEP) is designed for officials and officiating. It is founded on the following principles:
This year applications will be via Microsoft Forms, and a link has been shared to BAFRA Members.
If you wish to apply and do not have the link to the form, or if you would like oversight of your current selection spreadsheet scores, please contact the Directors of Operations or Training.
Applications close at 9pm on Sunday 11th June.
Ollie Maskell - Director of Operations
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | CODE | Q | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED | |
Previous weeks | |||||||
Luke Harris | 99 | Birmingham Bulls | FPF | 3 | Away from the play number 99 was seen to stamp on the leg/ankle of a prone opponent | 11th June 2023 v Sheffield Giants | |
Amolak Sahota | 5 | Colchester Gladiators | TGB | 3 | With 2:12 remaining in the third quarter, the quarter back slide was contacted by #5 in the Head/Neck area with the crown of the helmet. | 28th May 2023 v East Essex Sabres | |
Henry Williams | 3 | Hellingly Phoenix (U16) | FGT | After the play, the players engaged in a fight, which caused a bench clearance. Game 3, Second Half, 4:29 remaining. | 3rd June 2023 v London Warriors (U16) | ||
Hammed Abedemi Osho | 6 | London Olympians | FPF | 1 | With 7:00 remaining in the first quarter. after the play was over, #6 was observed to repeatedly headbutt an opponent. | 28th May 2023 v Essex Spartans | |
Ben Schneller | 29 | London Warriors (U16) | FGT | After the play, the players engaged in a fight, which caused a bench clearance. Game 3, Second Half, 4:29 remaining. | 3rd June 2023 v Hellingly Phoenix(U16) | ||
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Chorley Buccaneers (U19) | Reasonably well marked 100 yard field with gooseneck posts. No nine-yard marks or numbers. Several other sports markings were present in close proximity to the endzone. Team areas were missing but both teams were well disciplined and kept within the 20-yard lines. David Hewitt #607 | 18th June 2023 v Edinburgh Napier Knights |
Clyde Valley Blackhawks | A well marked field but team areas marked to the 25-yard lines. Ian Sneddon #427 | 28th May 2023 v Inverclyde Goliaths |
Crewe Railroaders | Small changing room. The crew had to wait for female players to change before the room was available for officials. Andrew Lovell #559 | 28th May 2023 v Staffordshire Surge |
East Kilbride Pirates (U16) | No down boxes provided. Kenneth Glover #71 | Unknown |
Edinburgh Wolves | No limit lines. Team and coaching box marked with cones. Henry Richardson #25 | 11th June 2023 v Merseyside Nighthawks |
Leicester Panthers | The dedicated officials’ changing room is small, but the crew were able to use one of the main changing rooms once the teams were on the field. Field marked in yellow and somewhat faint but usable. No team areas. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 2nd July 2023 v East Kilbride Pirates |
Lincolnshire Bombers (U19) | Games kicked off 20 minutes after advertised time due to a disagreement about BAFRA providing coverage to one or two fields. Management had been informed in the week BAFRA would cover only one field. Eventually coaches were sourced to staff the second field. (Credit to Scunthorpe who supplied three coaches including two from their travelling support as one team refused to allocate a coach and another had no one available). With 2:30 remaining in the second half, with a score of Lincs 28 Scunthorpe 19, a serious head injury necessitated a stoppage and the attention of both medics. We were informed that replacement medics would not be available for more than one hour, so the game was ended and by mutual agreement the second round of matches did not take place. The game on the other field (NE v Chester) had already been completed by this point. Joel Pearson #405 | Unknown |
London Blitz | Field surface was uneven with large bald patches which had become worse after the prior U19 game. Short yard line extensions were marked unevenly and grass not cut to uniform length, making it significantly longer in the last 20 yards at each end. Lee Wood #517 | 4th June 2023 v London Warriors |
London Blitz (U19) | Some lines needed painting, which was done before kick off. Officials changing room was dirty with no private facilities. Game day persons provided very late and changed multiple times. Field surface was ok, but grass uneven in length - last 20 yard of the field was significantly longer than rest and large bald patches. Short yard line extension were marked differently on each side of the field. Lee Wood #517 | 16th July 2023 v Solent Seahawks |
Ouse Valley Eagles | Game kicked off 15 minutes late due to the visiting teams changing rooms not being available until a youth rugby tournament had finished. Brian Yates #29 | 28th May 2023 v Swindon Storm |
Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | Field had areas of multiple hash marks where they had been made in the wrong place in error. Changing room small and not lockable. Roger Brown #469 | 11th June 2023 v Somerset Wyverns |
Rushmoor Knights (U19) | With 9:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, a Rushmoor Knights player suffered an injury and the emergency services were called. After ten minutes of the stoppage, both head coaches agreed to end the game. Darren Urben #438 | 4th June 2023 v South London Renegades |
Sandwell Steelers | 80 yard field with 11 yard endzones marked in black. Short yard line extensions and five-yard lines continue into the endzone by five yards due to shortening of field to allow for adequate endzone size. Perry Wayman #504 | 28th May 2023 v Sheffield Giants |
Solent Thrashers | Coaching boxes and team areas marked to the 25-yard lines. The crossbar and uprights of the goal posts overhang the end zone by one yard. Euan Paterson #165 | 11th June 2023 v Bristol Aztecs |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Aberdeen Roughnecks | The field had not been marked since previous game and lines were faded. Field surface was soft but held up well during game. Gordon Galloway #7 | 28th May 2023 v Dunfermline Kings |
Berkshire Renegades | Well marked field and good limit lines have been added from last week. Julian Mallia #336 | 4th June 2023 v Hereford Stampede |
Cambridgeshire Cats | On arrival at the ground, we were informed by the game day manager that the sports centre had not properly marked the field. On inspection one of the goal lines was missing, along with four or five five-yard lines and no hash marks. We informed game management that unless these lines were marked the game would not proceed. The home team bought some spray paint and by kick off time the missing lines were marked to a degree that the game could proceed. Brian Yates #29 | 18th June 2023 v Kent Exiles |
Chester Romans | 90 yard field marked in blue with other sports' markings in contrasting colours. Team areas marked with cones. Initial changing room supplied was extremely snug for a crew of four and almost unusable for a crew of five. However, the crew were moved to a much more suitable room upon request. Perry Wayman #504 | 28th May 2023 v Northants Knights |
DC Presidents | DC Presidents did not have enough kitted players to start the game until shortly before kick-off. Following a lengthy injury break during the 2nd quarter, with the score at 40-0, due to waiting for an ambulance, with the agreement of all parties, the clock was wound to zero. The 2nd half was then played after the ambulance had departed, under running clock conditions. Mark Burrows #292 | 28th May 2023 v Doncaster Mustangs |
East Kilbride Pirates | The field was well marked out, in blue, but did not have numbers on field. Ian Sneddon #427 | 4th June 2023 v Tamworth Phoenix |
Edinburgh Napier Knights (U19) | Field markings were in blue and faint. Team areas marked with cones to the 25-yard lines but moved prior to kickoff. Gordon Galloway #7 | 23rd July 2023 v Chorley Buccaneers |
Gateshead Senators | 90 yard field. Coaches boxes too close to sideline and only marked to the 25-yard lines. No nine-yard marks. Liam Wooton #478 | 4th June 2023 v DC Presidents |
Glasgow Tigers | Officials were not given a proper changing room but a room with some chairs and no separate toilet or showers. Lines were not straight and short yard line extensions and hash marks were not "evenly" measured and nor matching up. Shawn Sombati #15 | 28th May 2023 v Highland Stags |
Hereford Stampede | Changing Rooms not lockable during game. Game suspended for ten minutes at end of first Quarter to allow medical treatment to an official which necessitated the rest of the game to be officiated under crew of three Mechanics. Krister Halvorsen #77 | 11th June 2023 v Ouse Valley Eagles |
Highland Stags | No limit lines. Henry Richardson #25 | 4th June 2023 v Inverclyde Goliaths |
Inverclyde Goliaths | Team and Coach areas were not marked out but were coned off to the correct lines. Ian Sneddon #427 | 25th June 2023 v Clyde Valley Blackhawks |
Ipswich Cardinals | Changing rooms not lockable. Kick off delayed by ten mins due to the late finish of the Junior game. Lee Wood #517 | 25th June 2023 v East Kent Mavericks |
Ipswich Cardinals (U19) | Changing rooms not lockable. Lee Wood #517 | 18th June 2023 v London Blitz |
Kent Exiles | Very well marked 90-yard field with ten-yard end zones in white; missing only limit lines, numbers, and nine-yard marks. Team areas were too small. Changing room lacked a private toilet and was not lockable. Game balls supplied were in good condition but not inflated to the correct pressure. Tim Ockendon #481 | 4th June 2023 v Solent Thrashers |
Lancashire Wolverines | Well marked 80-yard field but with no nine-yard marks or numbers. Officials assistants were suddenly replaced mid-way through the third quarter causing a delay while the replacements were given a quick briefing. During the game it was noted Darlington were using a camera on a handheld pole to record film. At half-time the team were reminded of the rules regarding the use of cameras to record game film and there were no further issue arising in regard to this issue. Peter Roberts #87 | 4th June 2023 v Scunthorpe Alphas |
Leigh Miners | 80 yard field. Team areas extend to the 15-yard lines. Goalposts at one end are slightly offset from the endline. Otherwise, well marked. Paul Todd #289 | 25th June 2023 v Shropshire Revolution |
London Olympians | Well marked 90-yard field with ten-yard end zones, marked in blue with other sport markings in white and yellow. Marks at nine-yards and no team area markings, although rugby lines approximated for coaching lines and the ends of the team areas were marked with cones. Changing room was a good size and lockable but had no facilities. Tim Ockendon #481 | 28th May 2023 v Essex Spartans |
London Warriors | Well marked 90-yard field with eight-yard end zones in blue with other sport markings in yellow, white, and red. No numbers or limit lines and rugby markings approximated for nine-yard marks. Changing rooms not lockable. Game was delayed starting by twenty minutes due to the over-running prior game, that had started late due to issues at the venue. Stakes at both ends of the chains are obviously bent. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 16th July 2023 v London Blitz |
Manchester Titans | 80 yard field. No nine-yard marks or numbers. Several other sports lines in various colours which, on occasion, made it difficult to identify which line should be used. The coaching box was too close to the sidelines but the use of the rugby field touchline helped with the problem. All three game balls needed adjusting prior to kick off. David Hewitt #607 | 18th June 2023 v East Kilbride Pirates |
Merseyside Nighthawks | 90 yard field.No 3 or 9 yard marks or numbers.Team areas incorrectly marked out between the 25 yard lines.Although all main lines were present, several were not straight. David Hewitt #607 | 4th June 2023 v Manchester Titans |
Nottingham Caesars | Lines are red causing issues for colour-blind officials, Coaching Boxes marked too close to the sidelines (3 feet) Richard Whitby #136 | 11th June 2023 v Sandwell Steelers |
Nottingham Caesars (U19) | Birmingham Lions had forfeited the game prior to kick-off Richard Whitby #136 | 11th June 2023 v Tamworth Phoenix |
Northumberland Vikings | Team/coaching areas were marked to the 25-yard lines. Ian Sneddon #427 | 18th June 2023 v Darlington Steam |
Oxford Saints | Good field markings with numbers but no team areas, Two very small changing rooms provided however, if the crew was mixed gender it would have been difficult to change as one of the rooms was the ladies’ officials room. Pre-game, half time and post-game discussions had to be conducted in a public bar area. Roger Brown #469 | 28th May 2023 v South Wales Warriors |
Poole Dolphins (U19) | New venue for Poole. Field was marked in blue (apart from one two-yard mark which was in white) alongside white soccer markings. There were a couple of holes which had been filled in by the home team prior to the start of the tournament. Peter Parsons #321 | 17th June 2023 v Somerset Wyverns |
Rushmoor Knights | Field painted with very thin blue lines, with a faint white running track cutting through the field in several places. Team areas were too close to the sideline and lines were not straight. The field was uneven in places and some trip hazards were filled in before the game. Chains were about a foot too short but were fixed prior to kickoff. One of the officials assistants was changed at half time. Changing rooms are not lockable and a long walk from the field. Rushmoor Knights are hopeful to be playing at a new venue for their next home game. Oliver Maskell #221 | 4th June 2023 v Oxford Saints |
Scunthorpe Alphas | Very well marked 90 yard field. Team areas incorrectly marked out between the 23-yard lines. All three game balls needed adjusting prior to kick off but otherwise another great effort from Scunthorpe. David Hewitt #607 | 28th May 2023 v Lancashire Wolverines |
Sheffield Giants | One of the officials assistants did not turn up until five minutes before kick off. A Nottingham Assistant was given permission to film the game from behind one of the End Zones. Halfway through the third quarter it was reported that this person appeared to be giving signals and talking into a communication device. He was asked to go back to the Nottingham sideline. Alan Christopher #599 | 18th June 2023 v Sandwell Steelers |
Shropshire Revolution | Prior to kickoff, game management had field lots of divets on the shared field. Despite this, the game had to be suspended numerous times to allow Game Day Management to fill more divets in field, previously hidden by long grass. Our thanks to Charlie for her assistance. Andrew Lovell #559 | 28th May 2023 v Leigh Miners |
Solent Seahawks (U19) | Coaching boxes and team areas marked to the 25-yard lines. The crossbar and uprights of the goal posts overhang the end zone by one yard. Otherwise a well marked, 100 yard artificial field. All members of the chain crew and both ball persons were changed at half time. Peter Parsons #321 | 11th June 2023 v Rushmoor Knights |
Somerset Wyverns | Changing rooms rather small particularly for a crew of five. Julian Mallia #336 | 18th June 2023 v Cornwall Monarchs |
South London Renegades (U19) | Well marked 90-yard field with ten-yard end zones, marked in blue with other sport markings in white and yellow. Marks at nine-yards and no team area markings, although rugby lines approximated for coaching lines and the ends of the team areas were marked with cones. Game balls provided were all below regulation pressure No changing room available on arrival.. A lockable room was only provided after the officials had changed in the bar area. Tim Ockendon #481 | 11th June 2023 v London Warriors |
South Wales Warriors | Changing room was dusty, not lockable and had no private toilet or shower. The field was clearly marked out but the yard lines (inbounds and sidelines) and three-yard marks were too narrow. Amir Brooks #593) | 4th June 2023 v Bournemouth Bobcats |
Staffordshire Surge | Officials changing rooms are very small. Car park also very small Andrew Lovell #559 | 25th June 2023 v Crewe Railroaders |
Sussex Thunder | Game was suspended due to weather (Lightning) at 16:50. Extremely heavy rain and hail fell for 20 minutes. Upon returning to the field for an inspection several large areas of standing water were observed. With light rain continuing to fall, efforts to improve the surface were unsuccessful. The Referee deemed the waterlogged surface to be hazardous, and the game was abandoned with 15 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter at 17:30. The score was Sussex 8 - Colchester 20 at the time of the abandonment. Changing room was small, dirty and damp. Chain set broke twice and the down indicator broke once. Dean Wright #553 | 28th May 2023 v East Kent Mavericks |
Tamworth Phoenix | The field was marked in red on green. The chain crew changed at halftime. Paul Todd #289 | 17th June 2023 v Leicester Panthers |
Tamworth Phoenix (U19) | Markings faint in places and painted in red on green. Paul Todd #289 | 17th June 2023 v Nottingham Caesars |
Torbay Trojans | No issues with teams however due to a car breakdown en route, the crew had to operate as a crew of three. Albert Lambert Jnr #461 | 28th May 2023 v Portsmouth Destroyers |
Wakefield District Raiders | 80 yard well marked field with ten yard enzones. Grass Rugby pitch was in good condition. Robin Boyd #191 | 28th May 2023 v Humber Warhawks |
Wembley Stallions | There was one change of ball person and two changes of chain crew personnel. Peter Parsons #321 | 21st May 2023 v Norwich Devils |
Yorkshire Rams | Reasonably well marked field. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Team areas were incorrectly marked out between the 25-yard lines. The chain set broke on three occasions requiring a hold up of the game. All three game balls required adjustment prior to kick off. David Hewitt #607 | 4th June 2023 v Northumberland Vikings |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: The game is being played with a Video Judge. 1st and 10 at Midfield, there are 1:30 seconds left in the game. The clock is not running, the score is tied. Team A attempt a pass play and it is intercepted by B38 at the B-29. B38 returns the ball to A’s end zone for a Touchdown. After the play the video judge reviews the pay and sees clear evidence of a false start prior to the snap.
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Last week | Play: A12 throws a forward pass intended for A89. Dur ing the pass, defensive end B88 is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The pass to A89 is complete for a 10-yard gain to the A-30 where A88 is tackled. RULING: (a) The penalty is enforced at the end of the run, which is the A-30; first and 10 for Team A at the A-45. (b) The penalty is enforced at the previous spot, first and 10 for Team A at the A-35. (Rule 9-2-1 Penalty)
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: What are the five mandatory uses of intra-crew radios during a game?
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Last week | Game Situation: On a 4th and 20 from the A-30, Team A attempt to punt the ball. The punt is blocked and goes into the team A backfield clearly towards the Press Box side. On an 7 man crew how should the officials react? Answer: The Head Linesman should remain on the Line of Scrimmage until it is clear a kick will no longer be attempted. The Line Judge should retreat into the Team A backfield to assist the Referee (M13.8.d.1.d) |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Richard Moger | ||
Finance | Stuart Tabberer | Operations | Oliver Maskell | ||
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. |
