NZGOA Forum

Given that my previous attempt at a discussion was hijacked and couldn't back on to the subject, I'll try again.

PLease try and keep the comments to the actual rules and not the concepts about rules and philosophies.

Some of you may have heard, the AFW is planning a Flag Football competition, and I'm sure you'll all be over the moon to hear that I am planning to come down with a team from Wairoa.

I've been looking at the rules for a while and at the different variations of flag around the world, and of course, I decided it is best to do our own thing.

My plan is to have the rules based as closely on the 7-man football we currently play. The games will happen the week after the final of the junior competition, so I imagine we will have the Jamboree at Bishop Viard, as the field will be marked up there.

My suggestions for the rules so far are as follows:

1. Shorter games, we have limited field time and limited officiating crews. 10-12 minute halves with no quarter time break.

2. Obviously no tackling, tackles will be made by pulling a flag off a flag belt. (The Spartans have access to these, most colleges do to. So we should be able to source enough of them.)
PENALTY Full tackle made against another player. 15 yards from the spot and ejection.
PENALTY Significant contact made against ball carrier. 10 yards from the spot. (ie knocking the player to the ground)

If a player is in possession of the ball and on the ground, then it is not necessary for a flag to be pulled.

3. Blocking. I would like to see blocking on the line, but blocking downfield is illegal. So an O-Lineman (including WR) can block an opposing player on the line (DE, DT, CB) Contact is only to be within the frame of the body and above the waist. Contact should be initiated by hands and not with a shoulder charge. This also means that lineman can't pull or trap. They can only contact the player across from them.
PENALTY Significant contact made against an opposing player. 10 yards from the spot. (ie knocking the player to the ground)

Players not on the LOS are not allowed to contact other players. The may "screen block" or in other words, obstruct opponents. So this goes for RB's, LB's, WR's off the line, CB's when behind the DRL and Safety's.

Also, please note that a 'wedge' is still illegal, we don't want six players forming a box around a ball carrier and escorting him to the end zone.

4. Stripping and fumbles. In most flag football rules, these are not allowed. However, I don't want kids to learn it is okay to run around with the ball like a loaf of bread in one hand. Therefore, I propose that attempting to knock the ball loose is legal, but as long as we adhere to rule 2, no significant contact. Players can't flatten the ball carrier in an attempt to knock the ball loose, nor can they club the ball carrier's arm. If this occurs against the passer, then it is Roughing.

Of course this may bring in other problems. We may have to look at a rugby league style of strip rule. 1 on 1 okay, 2+ on 1 not okay. I don't want to see a situation where a ball carrier has three 'tacklers' on him, stripping the ball and no one going for his flag.

If a ball is loose, it may also be wise to limit the number of players on the ground. a pile of bodies with no pads is probably a little dangerous, head will get cracked and arms broken. Should there be a loose ball, only one player from either team may go to ground to recover it, more than that is piling on. Exception: Should the ball not be possessed by either team with two players on the ground (One from each team) and the ball squirts out, two other players may go for the ball. and so on.

5. Kicks

a) Free Kicks. I'm not sure that free kicks will be possible, even with 'screen blocking' it may still be too dangerous to have kids sprinting down the field at full speed. I recommend that the ball is put in play at the touchback spot by the team we would expect to receive the kick.

b) Scrimmage kicks. We have already removed the field goal option, but I would like to keep punts in the game.

Most players other than the P & PR must be on the LOS. All team B players should be (this is a mandatory exception to the DRL rule) and team A should have five. (three O-Linemen and two 'Gunners'). The remaining team A player may be in the backfield and screen block for the punter. In this way, there is a lot of contact up front and will hopefully give time for a good kick and a return. ANY contact with the Punter should result in a penalty.

Returns will be interesting to see. Once downfield, the 'Significant contact' rule should apply. Players running should to shoulder will probably shove each other a bit, but shouldn't be called.


Well, that is my take on it. Does anyone else have any opinions? It'll be really important for us all to be on the same page before the first kick off of the day... No wait, there won't be a kick off.... You know what I mean though.

Jared

Is the competition restricted to being played on a full sized field? If not, and something that we did (successfully in my opinion) for GNZ in the years before the reunion, was to run a Flag tournement every saturday for 3-4 weeks. This was played on a short field (about 60 yds long and about 40 yds wide). There were lines across the field at 15 yd intervals (ie at the quarter and halfway marks). There were 5 players per team - Centre, QB, RB and 2 x Wr.

Gain line was the next 'line', the ball couldn't be run across the half way line (ie to go from your half to the opposition half you needed to pass the ball). And any balls on the ground were counted dead at the spot (if fumbled) or incomplete (if the pass was incomplete).

There were a bunch of other rules, but from a tournment perspective - you only needed 2 refs and 1 person doing the down marker. You could get two fields marked into a space not much bigger than that needed for a normal sized field. The games could be played in 20 to 40 mins and it take away the physicallity of blocking and trying to deem what was appropriate or not.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers

Mike

That definitely is an option. It may well be preferred by some people.

I don't think this website has a run down on the Junior Rules that Wellington use, so I might explain that a little. Although I'll plug that now and maybe Andrew could upload them.

And one of the reasons I have suggested using these AFW junior rules is that the tournament will be the week after the conclusion of the Junior Competition. So a field will be marked up and available and the base rules should be well known by the coaches and teams.

Just a quick run down.

7 man game.

Offence plays with a Centre and two Guards, QB and either a RB and two WR's or three WR's. TE's are not allowed thru formation restrictions. Only one WR is on the LOS. You're only allowed a 2 man backfield, so no power running plays. A WR in motion can not be in the backfield at the snap. And a very contentious rule is that the QB can not advance the ball past the LOS. No scramble and no sneaks.

The Defense is restricted to three players on the LOS, either two DL & one CB, one DL and two CB or three DL and no CB. the other four must stay five yards back until the snap.

The field is full length but only 35 yards wide as opposed to a full 53 & 1/3. We play with correct timing and a proper chain gang.

No FG's (No posts), No XP's. Rushing TD's are 5 points, Passing and ST TD's are 7 points.

So that's it, just to give the Auckland readers an idea of the full contact junior rules that Wellington use.