Issue 27/25 25th July 2025
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
BOWL GAMES
The Selection Committee will be meeting in early August to select the crews for the three bowl games being played this year.
All three games are being played Butts Park Arena, Coventry.
Saturday 6th September
12pm - U19 Bowl - 9v9
5pm - NWFL Bowl - 9v9
Sunday 7th September
1pm - BritBowl - 11v11
Please ensure your availability is correct in Assignr for these dates by Friday 1st August. Please add any special considerations for selection (position or game preference) to your Assignr notes, or email Operations. However, indicated preferences will not give priority over other officials, it will simply help the Selection Committee in making a decision.
Ollie Maskell - Director of Operations
LATEST BOARD MINUTES
The Board Minutes from the latest Board Meeting can be found in the Members’ Area of the website here:
https://www.bafra.info/members/minutes/eb20250712.pdf
Richard Moger - General Secretary
QUALIFIED - JIM DALLAS
Congratulations to Jim Dallas on completing all the requirements to become Qualified.
Thanks to Dave Moore and everyone helping with Jim’s training.
James Ford-Bannister - Director of Training
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED |
New this week | ||||
Jake Newton | 42 | Lancashire Buccaneers | Flagrant Personal Foul | 27th July 2025 v Humber Warhawks |
Joshua Aderemi | 56 | London Blitz | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | 10th August 2025 v Cambridgeshire Cats |
Kehinde Abiola | 45 | Northants Knights | Flagrant Personal Foul | 27th July 2025 v Northants Knights |
Gavin Hart | HC | Solent Seahawks | Two Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls | TBC - Next two competitive game thereafter * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day suspension as opposed to just a playing suspension. Mr Hart may not be present at the game site in any capacity. |
Previous weeks | ||||
James Simpson | 74 | Nottingham Caesars | Two Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls | 10th August 2025 v Newcastle Vikings and next 3 competitive games thereafter |
Nathan Kwame Owusu-Ansa | 3 | South London Renegades | Misconduct | All games until 24th September 2025 |
Zak Constance | HC | Wakefield District Raiders | Misconduct | TBC - Next competitive game * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day suspension as opposed to just a playing suspension. Mr Constance may not be present at the game site in any capacity. |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Berkshire Renegades (U19) | Some lines marked with cones, some making use of existing lines. Berkshire Renegades unable to compete due to not meeting the minimum squad size requirements. Ben Gadsby #564 | Unknown |
Bristol Aztecs | The lines are marked to suit the rugby club landlord and are not very wide or always straight. Keith Wickham #423 | 9th August 2025 v London Warriors |
Cambridgeshire Cats | Team areas marked between the 25-yard lines. Brian Yates #29 | 10th August 2025 v London Blitz |
Chorley Buccaneers | 100-yard field marked in blue alongside other sports markings. No numbers, team areas, or coaches boxes though both sidelines behaved admirably throughout the game. One half of the field was littered with bird feathers and excrement. Changing facilities were suitable only for a crew of three and the toilet door could not be closed due to the poorly located paper towel dispenser. Ian Rogers #625 | Unknown |
Clyde Valley Blackhawks | The yard markers were positioned too close to the sideline but were adjusted before kickoff. Ian Sneddon #427 | Unknown |
Coventry Phoenix | Excellently marked field. Some other sports markings present, but they did not cause confusion. The changing room was not lockable, so valuables were stored in cars. Halftime samosa delivery was, as always, very much appreciated! Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | Unknown |
East Kilbride Pirates | No limit lines. Kenneth Glover #71 | Unknown |
East Kilbride Pirates (U19) | Crew dropped to three persons in the second quarter due to an injury to the referee. Kenneth Glover #71 | Unknown |
Humber Warhawks | A well marked 100-yard field, however team areas were too close to the sideline. Changing rooms were poor and double as a store area for equipment. Dave Black #574 | 27th July 2025 v Lancashire Buccaneers |
Inverclyde Goliaths | No restraining line on coaches box, this was marked with cones. No limit lines. Kenneth Glover #71 | Unknown |
Lancashire Buccaneers | 100-yard field marked in blue alongside other sports markings. No numbers, team areas, or coaches boxes though both sidelines behaved admirably throughout the game. One half of the field was littered with bird feathers and excrement. Changing facilities were suitable only for a crew of three and the toilet door could not be closed due to the poorly located paper towel dispenser. The game kicked off 15 minutes late to allow the officials their minimum rest period between games following the late conclusion of the preceding U19 fixture. With 6:36 remaining in the second quarter, one of the home team players suffered a serious injury which required lengthy treatment. The player was eventually taken to hospital by ambulance and the game continued after a 44 minute delay. During the injury delay, the crew were made aware by game management that the field was only booked until 17:00. However, following further discussion with on-site staff it was agreed that the game would finish no later than 17:30 with everyone off site by 18:00. The half time break was reduced to ten minutes but the there was no agreement to reducing the length of the remaining quarters. Both Head Coaches were advised that due to the time required to vacate site that the game could not continue beyond 17:30. At 17:30, there was 11:00 remaining in fourth quarter. Ian Rogers #625 | Unknown |
London Blitz | Parts of the field were left with standing water after overnight rain, but the home team worked to ensure that the field was playable prior to kickoff, which it was, with some areas a little soft under foot. The officials were provided with a large changing room, but with no private toilet or shower. Peter Parsons #321 | Unknown |
London Blitz (U19) | Game was forfeited by the visiting team on Wednesday. Peter Parsons #321 | Unknown |
London Olympians | Markings were blue on a green field and are fading, so they were hard to see from some angles. Daniel Clarke #311 | 27th July 2025 v South Wales Warriors |
Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | Field markings are pink lines on green artificial turf. Changing room had really loud air-conditioning. Dean Wright #553 | Unknown |
Sandwell Steelers | Pylons at the hash-marks extended were absent. Otherwise, a well-marked 90-yard field. Paul Todd #289 | 27th July 2025 v Merseyside Nighthawks |
Solent Seahawks (U19) | Solent chose to forfeit the game with 10:11 remaining in the second quarter. Oliver Maskell #221 | Unknown |
Solent Thrashers | Very faint 100-yard field, with goals that slightly overhang the end zone. Team areas marked between the 25-yard lines. The goals are netted behind but the nets are torn so the balls were lost on several occasions during the game. For this double header, the crew were provided with a soccer officials changing room, which is too small for a crew of five. Solent wore black, and South Wales wore dark grey. Particularly when wet, the South Wales jerseys were not adequately contrasting the Solent black jerseys, so South Wales were penalised throughout the game in line with rule [1-4-5-b-2]. Oliver Maskell #221 | 27th July 2025 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
Solent Thrashers (NWFL) | 100-yard field marked mostly in yellow. Both goal posts and uprights are one yard infield. No numbers or nine-yard marks. No limit lines. Coaching box and team areas marked between the 25-yard lines. Peter Parsons #321 | Unknown |
Somerset Wyverns | There was a potentially serious injury to #44 of Somerset with 3:20 remaining in the third quarter. Medics took advice from a senior paramedic, who advised that the player was not to be moved and that there was a requirement for an ambulance and hospitalisation. After 45 mins, it was estimated that the ambulance would be well over another 30 mins and would likely be longer due to it being a Cat 2 case. After consultation with both coaches, it was agreed that the game would be abandoned as the player could not be moved. This was at 16:20 and the player was still present after 19:00. Otherwise, the field was very good and well marked. The officials had the use of the conference room for changing and briefings. Dave Moore #92 | Unknown |
South London Renegades (U19) | Markings were blue on a green field and are fading, so they were hard to see from some angles. Daniel Clarke #311 | Unknown |
Swindon Storm | A generally well-marked 100-yard field, but with no limit lines or nine-yard marks. The team areas were only marked out between the 25-yard lines. The gameday manager identified what appeared to be a small rabbit hole in the field, and they rectified this long before the game started. Amir Brooks #593 | Unknown |
Yorkshire Rams | Field markings, including coaching/team areas, were very faint at kickoff, with some inbounds markings vanishing before full time. Changing room not lockable. John Roberts #145 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Yorkshire Academy Assassins (U19) | The field was marked with cones, as were the team areas. Dave Black #574 | 19th July 2025 (Tournament) |
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.
|
Last week | Play: Try Down from the B-3, quarterback A4 is in position to receive a shotgun snap. The snap is made by centre A79, A-3 bobbles the snap and the ball hits the ground. Running back A21 then recovers the ball and hands the ball to running back A33 at the B6. Running back A33 advances to the B-4 yard line where he is hit and fumbles the ball, the loose ball rolls to the B-1 yard line, where A33 recovers the ball and advances into Team B’s endzone.
The bobbled snap is a muff not a fumble, therefore any player may recover the fumble and advance the ball. As A33 recovers their own fumble, the advance is legal. (8-3-2-d-5) |
MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: On a 5 man crew, what fouls should be recorded (in writing) by which officials? What details of the fouls should be recorded?
|
Last week | Game Situation: Upon arrival at the game site, there are only one set of goal posts available. The Visiting Team Head Coach states “The game shouldn’t be played and should be awarded to us by forfeit”. Ruling? Answer: The game is played. If one set of goal posts is available, the game will be played with all offensive plays taking place in the direction of the goal posts (1-2-5-f-2). If both Head Coach’s agree the game may be played without any field goals (either on the try down or normal scrimmage downs) being scored (1-2-5-f-3). Note: If there are no goal posts available and the Head Coach’s do not agree to play the game, the game is not played (1-2-5-f-4). |
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. |
