Issue 5/26 19th February 2026
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF BAFRA LTD
The Annual General Meeting of BAFRA Limited will be held during the Convention weekend at 5pm on Saturday 11th April 2026. It is open to all members. A full agenda will be circulated to members nearer the time.
The election of directors for the Company will take place at the AGM. Four posts are due for election this year:
All four current incumbents have indicated that they will be seeking re-election.
As of Wednesday 18th February, the following nominations for these posts have been received:.
President
Davie Parsons #425 – Proposed by James Ford Bannister #479. Seconded by Henry Richardson #25
Lee Wood #517 – Proposed by Graham Smith #149 . Seconded by Ian Smith #624.
General Secretary
Richard Moger #472 – Proposed by Paul Sutton #312. Seconded by Scott Castle #626
Director of Training
James Ford-Bannister #479 - Proposed by Amir Brooks #593. Seconded by Jed Brookes-Lewis #395
Director without Portfolio #1
None
I will provide a further list next week.
These positions are open to all qualified members, and nomination forms have been circulated to all qualified members. If you have not received this, please contact me.
The Directors encourage all qualified members to consider applying for one of the above four positions. If you are considering standing and would like more information about what is involved, please contact me or, if you prefer, another director for more details.
Richard Moger – General Secretary
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED |
New this week | ||||
Will Rasen | 44 | Derby Braves | Two Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls | Will Rasen is suspended from the next two competitive games that they are registered to play in |
Taylor Gill | 70 | Liverpool Raptors | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | Suspension already served against Edge Hill on 18th February 2026 |
Karim Eladawy | 55 | Manchester Tyrants | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | Next competitive game (Likely Playoffs) |
Previous weeks | ||||
Ben Coulthard | 54 | City Wolfpack | Two Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls | 22nd February 2026 v Essex Blades |
Kellydjoss Balela | 1 | Sheffield Hallam Warriors | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | Next competitive game (Likely Playoffs) |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Birmingham Lions | Field marked in black and faded, especially the short yard-line extensions. No team areas. Chain set broke multiple times. Parking charges are now enforced; this can be paid via a machine or app. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | Unknown |
Brighton Panthers | With 10:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, both teams agreed to shorten the time remaining in the game to 0:00. This was due to UCL sustaining a number of injuries. The result was declared final at that time. Dean Wright #553 | Unknown |
Cardiff Cobras | 90-yard field. The markings had been painted in yellow. Keith Wickham #423 | Unknown |
Derby Braves | Short yard-line extensions continue for five yards into the end zone at both ends. The game was stopped for approximately 1 h 15 m due to a serious injury to a player. Both teams expressed a desire to continue. Joel Pearson #405 | Unknown |
Greenwich Mariners | 90-yard field, very faded markings in blue, with other markings in yellow and white. Team areas marked with cones. The down box remains partially defective and sometimes did not display the required number. The chain set broke twice and then needed to be further fixed as a repair had left them longer than ten yards. The chain crew were quite slow at times, plus one of the ball persons wandered off, which caused delays. They also tried passing in a random football off the floor rather than one of the official game balls. The officials' changing area is not private/lockable, and there is no dedicated quiet area for a mixed gender crew pre-game, so the crew were disturbed by noise numerous times. Changing facilities were not available for either team as they'd been locked because of youth soccer taking place. Imperial ended up changing in shifts using the gym changing room, once the crew had finished with it, and Greenwich sourced somewhere else to use. Additionally, there was no access to the field until the scheduled 14:00 kickoff time. So it was agreed to start at 14:30 to allow teams some warm-up time to reduce the risk of injury. Both teams were able to access the hockey field adjacent to the field for a short amount of time, but the later start was maintained. Phil Clarke #262 | Unknown |
Heriot-Watt Wolverines | Field markings were blue in colour and very faint. The floodlights made spotting the ball very difficult. Gordon Galloway #7 | Unknown |
KCL Regents | Upon arrival at 11:00, it was found that the field was heavily waterlogged with standing pools of water in various places. An adjacent, but unmarked field, which was in a better condition, was also available. However, it required work as well as marking out. The home team attempted to make the field playable but, at 12.45, both Head Coaches concluded that it would not be playable. With the Referee also in agreement, the game was abandoned. Peter Parsons #321 | Unknown |
Leicester Longhorns | With 11:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, the game was suspended due to a serious injury to a Derby player, which occurred on a scoring play by the trailing team, before the try. Whilst waiting for an ambulance, the crew were informed that the floodlights would be turned off in half an hour. This was only two and a half hours after kickoff time and, had the crew been informed about this beforehand, would have resulted in shortened quarters. Both coaches agreed that there was no prospect of the game restarting before the floodlights were switched off, and so the game was abandoned. Joel Pearson #405 | Unknown |
Liverpool Raptors (Sunday 15th at JMO) | On arrival, most of the hash marks were missing. The ground staff got the equipment out and completed the hash marks (with some supervision) to a playable level; however, they were a bit wonky. By kickoff, the minimum standard was reached, but it was only just about sufficient for the game to go ahead. Both teams had also agreed to kick off earlier due to malfunctioning floodlights. All parties worked well to make the game legally viable. Stuart Young #33 | Unknown |
Liverpool Raptors (Wednesday 18th at Chester) | This was a rearranged fixture played at a neutral venue because the home team's normal field was unavailable midweek. The field had obviously not been re-marked since the last summer season, so lines were very faint in places, particularly the inbounds markings. There were no three-yard marks, numbers, or team areas, nor were any pylons available to mark the hash marks extended. Game management placed cones down on request. Only one small changing room, large enough for at most two people, was available for a crew of four. This room was not lockable during the game, and there was a leak from either the sink or toilet, which left officials' bags soaked. All game balls provided were low in pressure. Despite the shortcomings, game management were receptive to all requests and did their best to assist throughout. Ian Rogers #625 | Unknown |
Loughborough Students | Faint field markings. Team areas marked with cones. Brian Yates #29 | Unknown |
MMU Eagles | Field markings below full standards. 90-yard field freshly marked in dark blue. No numbers or limit lines. No team areas or coaching areas were marked. Steve Hall #512 | Unknown |
Newcastle Raiders | No limit lines. No numbers or nine-yard marks. Henry Richardson #25 | Unknown |
Northumbria Mustangs | No limit lines. Henry Richardson #25 | Unknown |
Oxford Brookes | A well-marked 100-yard field that is a short walk from the lockable changing rooms in the stand. Coaching box and team areas marked with cones. The chain set was supplied disassembled. There was a change to the officials' assistants at half time. Will Fazackerley #227 | Unknown |
Plymouth Blitz | This game was switched to Bristol after Plymouth's field was deemed unplayable. 90-yard field with rugby posts in place rather than the American football posts. The lines were marked in black, and the inbounds markings were difficult to see clearly. Changing rooms were small, but there were two supplied for the officials, which worked. One ball deflated and had to be changed. No coaches' box marked out initially opposite the press box (fixed before the game). Dave Moore #92 | Unknown |
Sheffield Sabres | 90-yard field. No nine-yard marks or numbers. Several other sports markings were in close proximity to the endzones. Team areas were missing but marked out using cones. The game balls required inflation prior to use. Changing rooms were too small for a crew of five, so pre-game was held in a foyer area. David Hewitt #607 | Unknown |
Southampton Stags | Well-marked 90-yard field with other sports lines present. The chain set presented was too long and needed to be corrected with a chain repair kit before kick-off. Jon Ireland #508 | Unknown |
UWE Bullets | 90-yard field, marked to a very poor standard - with many lines not straight and marked very thinly. Two changing rooms were provided, but each was too small for a crew of eight, so the crew was split. Players kept intruding to use the toilet until the door was closed and locked! Oliver Maskell #221 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
ARU Siege | The changing rooms were not lockable, and had no private toilet. Lee Wood #517 | 22nd February 2026 v Cambridge Pythons |
Coventry University Jets | Hashmarks were marked too wide on the field. Therefore, reference cones were used behind each goal. No three-yard marks at either end and the changing rooms were not lockable. Small delay at one point to deal with a down box fault with the numbers. Krister Halvorsen #77 | 22nd February 2026 v DMU Lions |
Durham Saints | Field markings below full standards. There were numerous white field markings closer than four feet to multiple end zone lines and other major lines on the field. No nine-yard marks or numbers. No limit lines or team areas marked. Ben Griffiths #228 | 22nd February 2026 v Nottingham Gold |
Essex Blades | Although clearly marked, the inbounds markings were not always a yard apart. Team areas marked with cones. Complete change of the chain crew at half time. Balls provided by the home team were not up to standard, so the away team’s balls were used. Brian Yates #29 | 22nd February 2026 v City WolfPack |
Leeds Beckett | Field markings below full standards. Faint yellow markings on an 80-yard field. No three-yard marks. No limit line or numbers. Coaching/Team areas not marked. Home team were late to come out for the coin toss, and officials' assistants were only provided just before KO. This caused a delay to the match KO time due to the need to brief the officials' assistants. As a result, the home team were penalised for delay of game on the KO. Steve Hall #512 | 22nd February 2026 v Loughbrough Students |
LJMU Fury | 90-yard field marked in yellow with no numbers, nine-yard marks, limit lines, or team areas. The lines had been painted the morning of the fixture before a previous game at the venue. These gradually grew fainter over the course of the game. Andrew Swift #403 | 22nd February 2026 v Salford Storm |
Solent Redhawks | 100-yard field with faint lines and other markings present. Scott Castle #626 | 22nd February 2026 v Chichester Spitfires |
Surrey Stingers | Well marked 90-yard field in a good condition despite heavy rainfall in the days leading up to the game. Lockable private changing room provided a short walk from the field. Jon Ireland #508 | 22nd February 2026 v RHUL Bears |
Sussex Saxons | 90-yard field with other sports markings present. 12-yard end zones were shortened to ten yards as the existing end line was close to the boundary fence. Hash marks were very faint, no nine-yard marks, or coaches' boxes. The chain set broke multiple times. One member of the chain crew changed at half time. The chain crew were slow and disinterested despite a thorough briefing. Three game balls were presented all under pressure and are starting to show their age. Jon Ireland #508 | 22nd February 2026 v Reading Knights |
UWE Bullets 2 | The field had been re-marked in white for this season, but this clashes in several places with rugby markings. Euan Paterson #165 | 22nd February 2026 v Bath Spa Bulldogs |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: The game is being played on a 90 yard field. After a safety, Team A punts the ball at Team A’s 20-yard line. The ball goes out of bounds untouched by Team B at the Team B-31 yard line.
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Last week | Play: 1st and 10 at the A-25. Late in the 1st quarter, ball carrier A21 circles right end toward his team area and is hit by B54 at the A-30. A21 continues to drive forward and lands with his body down at the A-34 out of bounds in or near the team area having crossed the sideline at the A-34.
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: If there is no visible game clock, when is it mandatory for the on-field timekeeper to relay the game clock via the crew radios?
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Last week | Game Situation: On a crew of 8, the widest player in the offensive formation on the press-box side of the field is A9. A81 is stood inside A9. There are no other players on the press-box side of the formation. A81 goes in motion towards the press box side line and is the widest player at the snap. Which official should key on A81? Answer: The Field Judge should key on the widest player even if he is in motion. (M16.6.1.a). |
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 ([email protected]) is midnight Tuesday. |
