Too many players on pitch?

Robotorz · Post by **Robotorz** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:15 am

When playing PBEM Games you dont have such things as the niffty program tells you that you have to many players on the pitch.

Today we played a game and my opponent had 12 Players on the pitch. I said we just continue with the players on the field and I will find a rule for this.

I searched and looked for this in the LRB and here but could not find anything.

Lore-wise this shouldnt happen as the refs would stop the team for doing this but thats bad.

Should the opposing team be responsible to check if the opponent has too many players just before kick-off and if he fails to do that the opposing coach keeps the players for that drive?

Or should the coach be responsible himself and if he fails to do that the opposing coach picks the player from the the coach with too many players?

Bevan · Post by **Bevan** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:42 am

Both coaches should consider it their responsibility to check the counts on both sides. The error should be corrected as soon as it is noticed.

The usual procedure is to send off a random player.

If you let the team play on with extras it only encourages (some) coaches to try to sneak on an extra player.

If you make the penalty too severe (e.g. immediate TD against the team) it would benefit coaches who notice the error before the kickoff but decide not to say anything until the drive starts.

DesTroy · Post by **DesTroy** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:11 am

Now when you say "send off" do you really mean "send off" or are you saying "send to the Reserves box"?

Joemanji · Post by **Joemanji** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:19 am

I always said to reserves. It is much my fault for not noticing.

TuernRedvenom · Post by **TuernRedvenom** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:10 am

yup, random non-ball-carrying player to the reserves

Post by **Old Man Draco** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:02 am

I would go for any random player on the opposing team including the ball carrier. If he is picked, scatter the ball and continue play.

Xtreme · Post by **Xtreme** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:34 am

The house rule in our league is that if the coach sets up 12 players you get to punch him in the face.

Cuts down on how often that mistake happens, or so we have found.

Digger Goreman · Post by **Digger Goreman** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:32 am

The alternative to a random player is to let the owning coach pick which one to put in reserves.... As said before, it is both coaches fault for not noticing....

Otherwise, random is fine....

Kyrel · Post by **Kyrel** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:16 pm

I normally play with another variant. I believe that it was an official ruling at a time, but don't quote me on it.

In this variant, the team with 12 players on the field got 2 players sent to the Reserve Box. Basically it was a penalty for "trying to cheat". The rule only took effect if the opponent discovered the irregularity before the offending coach. I can't remember if the players sent off were chosen at random or by one of the coaches.

You could argue that it is the responsibility of both players to make sure that there are only 11 players on the field, but then again I'd say that it really only is the responsibility of the individual coach to make sure that his team obeys the rules. If you screw up, you get penalised.

/Kyrel

Lychanthrope · Post by **Lychanthrope** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:36 pm

In real football it's the responsibility of the team with the extra guys and it's penalizied with the maximum 15 yards plus the lost of the extra player of corse.

Robotorz · Post by **Robotorz** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:56 pm

I saw that happen in Bloodbowl.

I will let the Coaches decide between:
- 2 Random Players get sent off
- 1 Random Player (including ball carrier gets sent off)
- 1 Choosen Player (by the coach with 11 players) gets sent off

Thank you for your input (o:

Warpstone · Post by **Warpstone** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:41 pm

Xtreme wrote:The house rule in our league is that if the coach sets up 12 players you get to punch him in the face.

Cuts down on how often that mistake happens, or so we have found.

Agreed. Punches in the face and Rochambeau are the only way to make sure people learn from their mistakes.

DamianTheLost · Post by **DamianTheLost** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:55 am

Actually we used to call this an illegal procedure back in the days and this would end ur current turn plus u would have a random player (but not the ball carrier) sent to the reserves box. Can't remember if there ever was a rule against it. Now I think a fair penalty would be to dismiss a random player from the pitch, but it depends on the situation. If u realize that u or ur oppo has fielded 12 players on the pitch before the kickoff but after both players have set up on the field, just reorganize the whole set-up. If u are well into the half, well pick a random player. It's basically ur own responsability...

tafta · Post by **tafta** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:26 am

I remember we had a similar discussion in our league (LRB5.0) about people forgetting to use negative skills. And we basically landed on that it's the opposing coach's responsibility to make sure it doesn't happen. So if you don't notice that your opponent puts 12 players on the pitch then it's your fault.

However we all agreed that this could be abused. But given our relaxed attitude in the league and lack of rules discussion we sort these issues in a civilized matter once they appear.

I agree with Damian's proposal of just removing a random player.

datalorex · Post by **datalorex** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:33 am

Lychanthrope wrote:In real football it's the responsibility of the team with the extra guys and it's penalizied with the maximum 15 yards plus the lost of the extra player of corse.

What is that, Prison football?! In Professional football, it's a 5 yard penalty and a replay of the down. lol.