Issue 14/26 29th April 2026
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE
Last week’s Newsflash reported that Nicolas West of the Sussex Thunder was disqualified from a game on 19th April for a Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct Foul. However, the disqualification has been cancelled after an appeal committee reviewed the incident an concluded that no Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct Foul occurred.
Ben Griffiths - BAFA Disciplinary Officer
discipline@britishamericanfootball.org
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED |
New this week | ||||
Rhys Maiing | 2 | Shropshire Revolution | Two Unsportsmanlike Fouls | 2nd May 2026 v Northants Knights |
Daniel Barker | 26 | Yorkshire Rams | Fighting | 10th May 2026 v Newcastle Vikings |
Steven Godward | 65 | Yorkshire Rams | Fighting | 10th May 2026 v Newcastle Vikings |
Previous weeks | ||||
Darrion Banton-Wright | 9 | Manchester Titans U19 | Two Unsportsmanlike Fouls | 17th May 2026 v Highland Wildcats |
Tio Benjamin | 11 | Manchester Titans | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | 2nd May 2026 v Coventry Phoenix |
James Simpson | 74 | Nottingham Caesars | Misconduct | 30th May v Manchester Titans |
Solent Seahawks (U19) | HC | Gavin Hart | Misconduct | 3rd May 2026 v Kent Exiles U19 * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Black Country Steelers | The officials’ changing room was not lockable, but it did have its own shower and adjacent toilets. 90-yard field with seven-yard endzones. Field markings were in blue and rather faint. Amir Brooks #593 | 31st May 2026 v Shropshire Revolution |
Bristol Aztecs | Field marked in blue, other markings in white. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 13th June 2026 v Rushmoor Knights |
East Kent Mavericks | 90-yard artificial field marked in blue, with other sport markings in yellow and white. Team areas were marked between the 25-yard lines. No numbers or nine-yard marks present, so rugby lines at approximately the correct depth were used instead. The officials' changing rooms were both well-appointed, but were not lockable. Due to a lack of available gameday assistants, the away team agreed to supply one ball person. There was one medical suspension lasting longer than five minutes to allow the injured player to be stabilised and moved off the field on a scoop stretcher. Phil Clarke #262 | 10th May 2026 v Colchester Gladiators |
East Kilbride Pirates (U19) | No limit lines, numbers or nine-yard marks. Henry Richardson #25 | 10th May 2026 v Lancashire Buccaneers |
Humber Warhawks | Whilst toilet and shower facilities were available, the officials' changing facilities were a disabled toilet; seats were provided for officials. The 90-yard grass field was well marked, and gameday management had to fill potholes and divots prior to the game. Team areas were marked out; however, there was no line to separate the team from the coaches' box. Dave Black #574 | 10th May 2026 v Lancashire Buccaneers |
London Blitz | Due to a financial incentive, there were nine officials’ assistants unable to decide among themselves who should have the opportunity, so coin tosses were used to select the appropriate number. Some areas of the field were majority sand, and lines were faint in these areas. Field conditions and officials’ facilities improved compared to last season, though the new changing room is also the water point for teams. One set of hashes is too narrow, meaning the posts are in the centre of the field but not the centre of the hashes. No hot water available for showers. Ben Gadsby #564 | 10th May 2026 v Rushmoor Knights |
London Blitz B | Changes to one ball person at half time. One member of the chain crew changed during the first quarter and again at half time. Some areas of the field were majority sand, and lines were faint in these areas. Field conditions and officials’ facilities improved compared to last season, though the new changing room is also the water point for teams. Ben Gadsby #564 | 31st May 2026 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
Norwich Devils | No numbers or nine-yard marks. Brian Yates #29 | 14th June 2026 v Berkshire Renegades |
Shropshire Revolution | Multiple issues. Multi-purpose field with all lines marked in white. Numerous divets in the field, and the chain kept breaking. Andrew Lovell #559 | 2nd May 2026 v Northants Knights |
Solent Seahawks (U19) | The changing rooms given to the officials were too small to fit six officials, as other changing rooms were not available on the day. Field markings shared with other sports markings. The team areas were only marked to the 25-yard lines. All game balls were below legal pressure and required inflation. The game had to be paused to find the medic who had wandered off the field to sit in their car. Crew informed at half time that the venue would be closing in 30 minutes. It was agreed with both head coaches and the venue staff that the third quarter would be shortened to eight minutes and the fourth quarter would be a running clock to get the game completed. Venue staff kindly agreed to stay later to facilitate the changes. Jon Ireland #508 | 21st June 2026 v Rushmoor Knights |
Swindon Storm (U16) | Two perfectly marked 5v5 fields with plenty of space between them for teams and spectators. Changing rooms were not lockable, but were otherwise perfectly good for a standard-sized crew. Allocated, reserved parking was available for the officials. Peter Parsons #321 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Berkshire Renegades | Well marked 100 yard field with painted team areas marked only to the 25 but were amended using cones. Goal posts were uncovered on arrival but were covered prior to kick off. Changing rooms are 2 small rooms at the back of the facilities that had no coat hooks or reasonable space even for 4 officials. We locked our bags in the cars and used the car park at half time. Scott Castle #626 | 17th May 2026 v Ouse Valley Eagles |
Birmingham Bulls | A well-marked 90-yard grass field in white. No 9-yard marks or limit lines. Male changing rooms are inside a converted shipping container – shabby but a decent size and lockable. Female changing room was well appointed but it was also used as the shower room for the male officials as well as the accessible toilet for the crowd. The chain crew were provided with less than ten minutes to kick off and saw multiple changes during the game. The ball persons were provided with less than two minutes to kick off and were changed at half-time. Refreshments were provided in the changing room, and a hot meal was provided after the game. Will Fazackerley #227 | 3rd May 2026 v Doncaster Mustangs |
Black Country Steelers | 90 yard field marked in blue on natural grass - changing rooms not lockable. Krister Halvorsen #77 | 26th April 2026 v Northants Knights |
Chester Romans | Field markings below full standards. 90 yd field well marked in dark blue. No limit lines, numbers, coaches areas or team areas were marked. The officials had to stop play for a few minutes in Q2 and in Q4 as the gameday medic just walked off the field of play. It transpires that the medic left for a comfort break on both occasions. Play was restarted when they returned. Several changes of Down Box Operator during the game. Late in the 4th quarter their was a stoppage of approx 25 minutes to deal with a serious injury Steve Hall #512 | 17th May 2026 v Yorkshire Rams |
Chester Romans (U19) | Field markings below full standards. 90 yard field well marked in dark blue, no limit lines, no numbers, no team areas or coaching areas were marked. Forfeit Reason: Steve Hall #512 | 17th May 2026 v Nottingham Caesars |
Clyde Valley Blackhawks | No limit lines, numbers, or nine-yard marks. Henry Richardson #25 | 17th May 2026 v Sheffield Giants |
Darlington Steam | Hashmarks & short yard line extensions were only 18 yards from sideline. No coaches boxes. Shawn Sombati #15 | 10th May 2026 Gateshead Senators |
East Kent Mavericks | 90 yard artificial field marked in blue, with other sport markings in yellow and white. Team areas marked between each 25 yard line. No numbers or 9-yard marks, rugby lines approximately in the right place were used instead. Officials changing rooms are both well appointed but are not lockable. Phil Clarke #262 | 26th April 2026 v Kent Exiles |
Gateshead Senators | Both goals sat at a jaunty offset angle! The changing room was a committee room with no showers, no privacy, and was not lockable. The chain crew was changed in full at halftime. Gordon Galloway #7 | 31st May 2026 v Darlington Steam |
Lancashire Buccaneers (U19) | No limit lines, number, or nine-yard marks. With 2:38 remaining in the third quarter, the Umpire had a fall and required treatment from the game day medical staff. The Umpire was removed from the game and transferred to a hospital with, what was later confirmed as, a broken clavicle. The crew continued as a crew of three. Later, with 3:21, remaining in the fourth quarter, one of the Lancashire players went down with a shoulder injury. Gameday medics decided that the player could not be moved and an ambulance was called for. The game was suspended at this point. After an hour's wait for an ambulance, with the score at 19:19, and both teams facing long bus journeys home, the Head Coaches in agreement with the Referee decided to end the match. Henry Richardson #25 | 17th May 2026 v East Kilbride Pirates |
Lincolnshire Bombers | Officials had to wait for access to the changing rooms due to other sports still occupying them. The named officials changing room is too small and inadequate for a crew of 4, however the crew were afforded a larger changing room at the expense of the home team. Toilets and showers were available but these are shared facilities. The 90-yard field was very well marked, but was uneven due to numerous flattened mole hills. Dave Black #574 | 3rd May 2026 v Lancashire Buccaneers |
London Blitz | The ground was in great condition, with a few patches of sand. Goal posts were slightly off centre of the field. Changing rooms provided were lockable and a clean separate room (different from previous years). All in a positive improvement from previous seasons. Lee Wood #517 | 26th April 2026 v Cambridgeshire Cats |
London Blitz B | The ground was in great condition, with a few patches of sand. Goal posts were slightly off centre of the field. Changing rooms provided were lockable and a clean separate room (different from previous years). All in a positive improvement from previous seasons. Lee Wood #517 | 26th April 2026 v Hertfordshire Cheetahs |
Merseyside Nighthawks | 100-yd turf field. There were no numbers, nine yard marks, limit lines or team area markings.Two of the three game balls lost pressure during the game. The changing room had no private shower or toilet facilities. Ian Rogers #625 | 7th June 2026 v East Kilbride Pirates |
Nottingham Caesars | Field markings in blue and faint. Other sports markings in blue, white, and yellow made spotting the ball difficult at times. No team areas marked. No numbers or nine-yard marks. The changing rooms were three small rooms with no private toilet facilities. The game was suspended for 15 minutes with 1:52 remaining in the game due to an injury to a Nottingham player. Brian Yates #29 | 30th May 2026 v Manchester Titans |
Oxford Saints | A well-marked 100-yard field in blue. Other markings present in white. Two changing rooms provided and lockable on request of the front desk staff. The home team provided a stadium announcer. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 3rd May 2026 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
Rushmoor Knights | 100-yard field, which appears to be very well marked, but, when you stand in line with the hash marks, you can see they get a bit wavy up the field. Team Areas only marked to the 25-yard lines. Balls were presented under-inflated. Several changes to the gameday assistants at half time. The changing room was only just big enough for a crew of five, but no private toilet and others are bound to get soaked if the shower is used. Goals are extensions on a soccer goal and are therefore too wide. With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, a Wembley player suffered a serious injury and the game was suspended for 50 minutes whilst an ambulance attended. Oliver Maskell #221 | 17th May 2026 v London Blitz |
Rushmoor Knights (U19) | 100-yard field, which appears to be very well marked, but, when you stand in line with the hash marks, you can see they get a bit wavy up the field. Team Areas only marked to the 25-yard lines. Balls were presented under-inflated. Several changes to the gameday assistants at half time. The changing room was only just big enough for a crew of five, but no private toilet and others are bound to get soaked if the shower is used. Rushmoor U19s always have a good crowd at their fixtures, and the atmosphere is good but more needs to be done to ensure spectators are kept a safe distance from the field, and distinguished from the team area. Oliver Maskell #221 | 17th May 2026 v Solent Seahawks |
Solent Thrashers (NWFL) | 100 yard field re-painted with other sports lines used in conjunction with the field. Brief pause to replace ball person near the end of the game. Scott Castle #626 | 6th June 2026 v London Warriors |
South Wales Warriors | A reasonably marked 90 yard grass field. Faint yellow markings. At times the hash marks were inconsistent lengths on either sideline and in the middle. Several wavy lines. No 9 yard marks. No team area line. Officials Changing Room is improved from previous seasons with an astroturf floor. Chairs provided. Limited privacy as external French doors clear glass with no curtain. No immediate wash facilities, but separate shower facilities in adjacent stand could be made available (reserved for female players) . Stadium microphone provided, spotty reception. Stuart Tabberer #348 | 3rd May 2026 v Hereford Stampede |
Swindon Storm | Team areas marked to the 25-yard lines. Changing rooms were not lockable. Euan Paterson #165 | 14th June 2026 v Somerset Wyverns |
Teesside Steelers (NWFL) | 100-yd turf field with extremely faint markings, particularly the hash marks. No nine-yard marks, team or coaching boxes marked. No limit lines. There was a short stoppage in the first half whilst the chains were repaired. Ian Rogers #625 | 16th May 2026 v London Warriors |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
Play of the Week will return when the exam period is concluded. |
MECHANICS: | |
Play of the Week will return when the exam period is concluded. |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
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. |
