Issue 24/25 3rd July 2025
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | CODE | Q | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED | |
New this week | |||||||
Daniel Collado | 52 | East Kent Mavericks | FUC | 4 | Verbally abused a match official after a play | 6th July 2025 v Colchester Gladiators & 20th July 2025 v London Olympians | |
Previous weeks | |||||||
Matthew Hyndman | 21 | Chester Romans | TUF | 4 | Early in the third quarter, number 21 stood over a prone opponent and taunted them. Between the third and fourth quarters, whilst changing ends, number 21 verbally abused an Official. He was disqualified. Upon completion of the penalty and announcement of disqualification, number 21 re-entered the field, removed his helmet, threw it to the ground and charged at the officials. He had to be restrained by a number of teammates and coaches. This was treated as Misconduct and a second fixed penalty offence | 6th July 2025 v Merseyside Nighthawks | |
Mark Carolan | 40 | Edinburgh Napier Knights (U19) | FGT | 3 | With 3:43 remaining in the third quarter, Edinburgh #75 was thrown to the ground by their helmet by #40 as the ball passed the pair of them. This act was penalised as a live ball personal foul. #75 retaliated by wrestling and clearly punching #40 on the ground with #40 retaliating in kind. The two players had to be separated by players from both teams and the officials. | 20th July 2025 v East Kilbride Pirates U19 | |
Samantha Read | 21 | London Warriors (NWFL) | TUF | 4 | With 9:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, #21 was penalised for Unsportsmanlike Conduct for standing over and taunting a prone player. As this penalty was being enforced #21 then shouted at officials, "You should be supporting women in sport". This was considered discriminatory language towards an official and resulted in a second Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty. | 5th July 2025 v Manchester Titans | |
Jorge Santana Angulo | 2 | Manchester Titans (U19) | TUF | 2 | With 10:56 remaining in the second quarter, Manchester's QB (#2) was tackled and both he and an opponent wrestled for control of the ball. A whistle for forward progress was blown, and the players were encouraged to separate. Upon standing, #2 directed a derogatory comment towards his opponent, which was entirely unnecessary. This was penalised for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. During the final play of the first half, #2 contacted an opponent well away from the play, and then, whilst the opponent was prone on the ground, proceeded to drop onto the player, leading with his elbow in a clear attempt to punish the player. This resulted in a second penalty for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. | 6th July 2025 v Chester Romans (U19) | |
James Simpson | 74 | Nottingham Caesars | TUF | 3 | With 9:51 remaining in the third quarter, #74 was penalised for Unsportsmanlike Conduct, after the play had ended, for maintaining physical contact with and pushing an opponent well after the whistle had blown. Following the announcement of the penalty, #74 directed a derogatory comment towards the Referee, which resulted in a second penalty for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. At the conclusion of the game, the player returned to the playing enclosure, sought out the officials to confront them and prevented them from leaving the playing enclosure. This was a second act of Misconduct. | 20th July 2025 v Coventry Phoenix and next 4 competitive games thereafter | |
Kieran Hill | 50/97 | Rushmoor Knights (U19) | FGT | 3 | With 1:01 remaining in the third quarter, #97 continued to aggressively block a player who was clearly out of the play, which drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness. After the ball was dead, #97 continued to act aggressively towards the player, which led to players from both sides getting involved with each other. During this fracas, #97 threw several punches. Upon checking the roster, there was no #97 listed; however, the Head Coach confirmed the player's identity as the player listed as #50 on the roster. | 20th July 2025 v Solent Seahawks | |
Jaiden Moesson | 18 | Sandwell Steelers (U19) | TUF | 3 | In the second quarter, #18 got to his feet after the play had ended and shoved an opposing player in the chest with both hands, drawing a first unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. With 5:43 remaining in the third quarter, #18, significantly away from the play and after the play had ended, shoved another opposing player in the chest with both hands, drawing a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. | 6th July 2025 v Birmingham Lions | |
Chris Herbert | AC | Sheffield Giants | TUF | 4 | With 14:44 remaining in the third quarter, an assistant coach entered the field to remonstrate with an official in an aggressive manner and was penalised for unsportsmanlike conduct. With 0:05 remaining in the fourth quarter, the same assistant coach remonstrated with an official using abusive language. This resulted in a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. | 6th July 20025 v Scunthorpe Alphas * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day suspension as opposed to just a playing suspension. Mr Herbet may not be present at the game site in any capacity. | |
Thomas Ukpong | 91 | Solent Thrashers | FGT | 3 | Towards the end of the third quarter, Solent #91 engaged in a fight with Somerset #26. | 6th July 2025 v Somerset Wyverns | |
Nathan Kwame Owusu-Ansa | 3 | South London Renegades | MIS | - | Used a belt to strike multiple players after a game | 20th July 2025 & all games until 24th September 2025 | |
Louis Mallender | 26 | Somerset Wyverns | FGT | 3 | Towards the end of the third quarter, Somerset #26 engaged in a fight with Solent #91. | 6th July v Solent Thrashers | |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Bournemouth Bobcats | The game was stopped briefly after the second half kickoff to allow the Medic to treat several players who were injured. A longer stoppage of ten minutes was required with 13:46 remaining in the third quarter to allow a player to be transferred to an Ambulance following an earlier injury. Mark Schofield #557 | Unknown |
Gateshead Senators | 90-yard field. No numbers or nine-yard marks. No limit lines. Henry Richardson #25 | 6th July 2025 v Wakefield District Raiders |
Glasgow Tigers | Field markings were yellow, and the inbounds markings were difficult to see from the sidelines. Team areas were marked with cones. Gordon Galloway #7 | Unknown |
Ipswich Cardinals | Well-marked 100-yard field all in white. Numbers are small. The officials' changing room, whilst lockable, was small and compact. Any crew larger than four would struggle to fit. The private toilet/shower both now have doors fitted. Graham Smith #149 | 20th July 2025 v Norwich Devils |
Lancashire Buccaneers | Filed markings below full standards. Well-marked 100-yard field. Field marked in dark blue, other sports markings present. No numbers or limit lines. Team areas were marked with cones. Steve Hall #512 | 20th July 2025 v Lincolnshire Bombers |
Plymouth Vanguard | A well-marked 90-yard field and officials had the use of a large bar area for changing and pre- and post-match briefings. There were two changes to the chain crew during the game. Euan Paterson #165 | Unknown |
Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | 90-yard field mostly marked with pink lines, which were very difficult to see at times and from certain angles. No numbers or nine-yard marks (rugby markings were used to approximate them). No coaching box line marked. Team areas were marked with cones. Changing rooms were not locked during the game. The start of the game was delayed by 30 minutes due to the late arrival of both the visiting team and the Referee as a result of a full closure of the A3. Peter Parsons #321 | 20th July 2025 v Sussex Thunder |
Scunthrope Alphas | The 90-yard field was very well marked, with only the limit lines missing. The officials' changing room was a disabled toilet, which was not lockable during the game. Dave Black #574 | 6th July 2025 v Sheffield Giants |
Sheffield Giants | The field was marked in black with other sports markings present. No marked team areas. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | Unknown |
Shropshire Revolution | 90-yard field with other sports markings, both in white. Multiple holes in the field were found before kickoff and corrected by game management. With 12:04 remaining in the first quarter, the game was suspended due to an injured player. The crew waited for 2h30 before the game was abandoned as the ambulance had not arrived. Darren Urben #438 | 6th July 2025 v Staffordshire Surge |
Wembley Stallions | One changing room was provided for a mixed-gender crew, but there was a spare changing room by the time the crew changed. It met all the requirements, but it was a long walk from the field. The game kicked off 20 minutes late due to late-arriving players. The game was played in an amber weather alert for heat; natural stoppages were extended to allow players to take on water. With the agreement of all concerned, the third and fourth quarters were reduced to 10 minutes. Ben Gadsby #564 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Chester Romans | Team areas were absent but were marked with cones. Otherwise, a well-marked 90-yard field. Paul Todd #289 | 6th July 2025 v Merseyside Nighthawks |
Chorley Buccaneers (U19) | Well-marked 100-yard field. No team areas marked. All three game balls required inflation prior to use. David Hewitt #607 | 20th July 2025 v Manchester Titans |
Clyde Valley Blackhawks | No numbers or nine-yard marks. Kenneth Glover #71 | 6th July 2025 v Aberdeen Roughnecks |
Cornwall Monarchs | Changing rooms were very small again with enough room for three officials maximum. Assistants were supplied late but were briefed in time for the kickoff. A 'rabbit hole' in the field was identified and filled in just before kickoff. 90-yard field with blue markings. Dave Moore #92 | 6th July 2025 v Swindon Storm |
Coventry Phoenix | Plenty of water and a selection of Samosas were provided for the officials. Keith Wickham #423 | 20th July 2025 v Nottingham Caesars |
East Kilbride Pirates | No numbers or nine-yard marks. Henry Richardson #25 | 6th July 2025 v Newcastle Vikings |
East Kilbride Pirates (U19) | No numbers or nine-yard marks. Henry Richardson #25 | 6th July 2025 v Highland Wildcats |
Hertfordshire Cheetahs | The game kicked off 30 minutes later than scheduled to ensure officials had their mandatory break between games. Andrew Murrell #608 | 10th August 2025 v Rushmoor Knights |
Leicester Panthers | Faint markings in yellow. No try marks. Team areas marked with cones. No nine-yard marks or numbers, but the Rugby markings were close enough to use. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 6th July 2025 v Leigh Miners |
London Blitz | One post was crooked. The changing room was lockable but had no private shower or toilet. One area of the field had puddles of standing water, but by the end of the first half the water had gone. Overnight, there was a marquee erected which was ~14 feet from the sideline, the supports were covered with pads and ran from about the 40-yard line to the five-yard line at one end of the field. Lee Wood #517 | 20th July 2025 v London Warriors |
London Blitz (U19) | 100-yard grass field with ten-yard end zones marked in white. The field surface was sandy in places but was reasonably level throughout. Field markings had been re-marked with spray paint, leading to some crooked lines and the inbounds markings are unevenly spaced. No limit lines or team area markings on the away sideline. The numbers were the incorrect size. The goals were too wide, and one was slightly out of alignment. The usual changing room was not available, but an alternative was found, which was spacious and lockable but with no facilities. Tim Ockendon #481 | 20th July 2025 v London Warriors |
London Olympians | Changing rooms not locked during the game, though were in a relatively secure area. The goalposts had reverted back to the rugby posts and caused no issues. Daniel Clarke #311 | 6th July 2025 v Kent Exiles |
London Warriors | The field and team area markings at Greenwich University are very faint and can be extremely difficult to see. There was one stoppage for a repair to the chain set. The changing rooms, while spacious and well-equipped, are shared with the university gym and are therefore public and not lockable. They are also a significant walk from the field. Peter Parsons #321 | 6th July 2025 v Cambridgeshire Cats |
London Warriors (NWFL) | Multiple sports markings. Missing team areas and limit lines. Lines were a very faint blue (on green surface). Short yard-line extensions were invisible from a range of three yards away, and visible when closer only if a) the angle of the sun was right or b) you noticed that the texture of the turf was slightly different in "painted" areas. The low visibility of markings delayed the spotting of the ball to the point of interfering with attempts to run a no huddle offence. Game kicked off five minutes late due to the late arrival of the medic. Second half kicked off ten minutes late due to changes to all five officials assistants. With around nine mins left in the second quarter, the crew size dropped to three due to a non-contact injury to the line judge, with the umpire moving to that position. Ben Gadsby #564 | 26th July 2025 v Birmingham Lions |
London Warriors (U19) | Field was used by soccer until 12:00 (scheduled KO). By the time the field was vacated and equipment was setup, game kicked off 20 minutes late. Field markings at the venue are very faint, and very hard to see if the sun is shining. Chain crew members replaced at half time. Three balls supplied, all below legal pressure. No lockable changing room, but facility in SU building is spacious enough. Andrew Murrell #608 | 6th July 2025 v Ipswich Cardinals |
Manchester Titans | This fixture was cancelled around 22:00 on Saturday, 21-06-25, due to Newcastle Vikings forfeiting the game. Ian Rogers #625 | 9th August 2025 v Coventry Phoenix |
Manchester Titans (NWFL) | A well-marked 90-yard field marked in black with other sports markings present on the field marked in dark blue Steve Hall #512 | 5th July 2025 v London Warriors |
Newcastle Vikings | 90-yard field. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Field markings were faint, particularly the inbounds markings. Ian Rogers #625 | 10th August 2025 v Nottingham Caesars |
Oxford Saints | A small changing room was provided for a crew of five, making for a cramped pregame. Mark Schofield #557 | 20th July 2025 v Ouse Valley Eagles |
Sandwell Steelers | The game kicked off 15 minutes late due to the late finish of the preceding junior game, then another five minutes after the non-appearance of the chain crew and ball persons. Multiple chain crew changes. The field is missing nine-yard marks and has the smallest possible legal end zones. Joel Pearson #405 | 20th July 2025 v Northants Knights |
Solent Thrashers | Game cancelled on Saturday morning due to issues with the venue. Oliver Maskell #221 | 6th July 2025 v Somerset Wyverns |
Somerset Wyverns | 100-yard field. The officials changed in the conference room, which was neither private nor lockable, but was better than the soccer/rugby officials' changing room next door. Euan Paterson #165 | 20th July 2025 v Bournemouth Bobcats |
South London Renegades (U19) | Changing rooms not locked during the game, though were in a relatively secure area. The goalposts had reverted back to the rugby posts and caused no issues. Daniel Clarke #311 | 20th July 2025 v Ipswich Cardinals |
Yorkshire Academy Assassins (U19) | The field was marked with cones, as were the team areas. Dave Black #574 | 19th July 2025 (Tournament) |
Yorkshire Rams | 90-yard field marked in blue, which was difficult to see in places prior to kickoff. This was made worse by a sharp downpour right at the start of the game, which washed away most of the inbounds markings. The changing room provided for the officials contained a fair amount of rugby training materials, which had to be moved to create space to get changed. Following the game the crew noted that the showers were out of action Lee Taylor #183 | 20th July 2025 v Sheffield Giants |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: 4th and 30 at the A-20. A65 punts the ball, the ball bounces at the A-49 yard line, where B89 attempts to recover the ball with a knee on the ground, B89 muffs the ball. Thinking B89 has secured possession the Back Judge blows his Whistle to declare the ball dead. Immediately after the whistle is sounded, A72 recovers the ball while prone at the A-48.
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Last week | Play: On a correctly marked 100 yard field, how many hash marks are there?
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: On an 8-man crew, what should the Line Judge do on a measurement?
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Last week | Game Situation: On a 6C crew, where should the Centre Judge stand on a field goal attempt? Answer: The Centre Judge should be in position about one yard behind the goal post nearest the press box. They are responsible for ruling whether the ball passes inside their upright. |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
2025 | ||
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Richard Moger | ||
Finance | Mark Schofield | Operations | Oliver Maskell | ||
Recruitment | Emma Harris | 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. |
