Gerard Stokes
Encyclopedia
Gerard James Stokes is a New Zealand
rugby league
coach
and former player who represented his country. He is currently the coach of the Serbian
national side. He is the father of Ben Stokes.
. He was a Schoolboy Kiwi in 1971 before later representing New Zealand in one test match and playing for Workington Town
in 1982.
At the age of 27, Gerard took his first coaching role as player-coach of Canterbury club Marist-Western Suburbs.
in the Lion Red Cup
. The team made the finals in 1994 but finished tenth the following two years. The competition folded after the 1996 season.
After this he was appointed head coach of the Canterbury Rugby League
representative side, facing irregular provincial competition.
In 2000 he coached the Canterbury Bulls
to a victory in the inaugural Bartercard Cup
grand final. He was also named New Zealand coach of the year that season.
He applied to coach the Kiwis in 2001 but was overlooked for Gary Freeman
. Instead he was appointed Assistant Coach and a co-selector, working under Freeman and in 2003 he was in charge of the New Zealand 'A' tour of Great Britain
.
In 2002 Stokes moved north and coached the Wellington Franchise
in the Bartercard Cup. He re-applied for the job at the end of the 2003 but wanted too much money and so was not reappointed.
Instead, at the end of the New Zealand 'A' tour, he was offered the opportunity to stay in England and coach his old club, Workington Town
. The club was in a state of disrepair and only seven players were contracted to the club. Stokes rebuilt the squad. However he was later fired by the club over an alleged disciplinary breach, despite being cleared by a RFL
investigation. The club later agreed to a £14,000 pay-off days before a court case bought by Stokes was due to be heard.
, Workington Town
s bitter rivals, after coach Paul Crarey
left the club citing personal health issues. In late 2008 he traveled to Serbia and helped the national side prepare for the RLEF Euro Med Challenge
. This move quickly proved beneficial to his club side as Whitehaven signed young Serbian national Soni Radovanovic
in January 2009. Stokes was sacked in August 2010 after winning only 1 game in 14, with a disastrous record 13 game losing streak that ultimately led to Whitehaven's relegation from the Championship.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former player who represented his country. He is currently the coach of the Serbian
Serbia national rugby league team
The Serbia national rugby league team represents Serbia in the sport of rugby league football, has been participating in international competition since 2003.-History:...
national side. He is the father of Ben Stokes.
Playing career
Stokes began playing rugby league early in life, in high school he would sneak out of his boarding school in New Zealand every Saturday morning to play league for CanterburyCanterbury Rugby League
Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby league team which represents the region in New Zealand...
. He was a Schoolboy Kiwi in 1971 before later representing New Zealand in one test match and playing for Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
in 1982.
At the age of 27, Gerard took his first coaching role as player-coach of Canterbury club Marist-Western Suburbs.
Coaching career
In 1994 he was appointed coach of the new Canterbury Country CardinalsCanterbury Country Cardinals
The Canterbury Country Cardinals were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Canterbury in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996. They were administered by the Canterbury Rugby League....
in the Lion Red Cup
Lion Red Cup
The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...
. The team made the finals in 1994 but finished tenth the following two years. The competition folded after the 1996 season.
After this he was appointed head coach of the Canterbury Rugby League
Canterbury Rugby League
Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby league team which represents the region in New Zealand...
representative side, facing irregular provincial competition.
In 2000 he coached the Canterbury Bulls
Canterbury Bulls
The Canterbury rugby league team are a rugby league team who represent the Canterbury Rugby League. They are currently nicknamed the Bulls but have previously had other nicknames such as the Reds. They are based at Rugby League Park in Christchurch....
to a victory in the inaugural Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
grand final. He was also named New Zealand coach of the year that season.
He applied to coach the Kiwis in 2001 but was overlooked for Gary Freeman
Gary Freeman
Gary Freeman is the name of:*Gary Freeman , sculptor from Indianapolis, Indiana*Gary Freeman , NBA player in 1970*Gary Freeman , New Zealand rugby league player...
. Instead he was appointed Assistant Coach and a co-selector, working under Freeman and in 2003 he was in charge of the New Zealand 'A' tour of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
In 2002 Stokes moved north and coached the Wellington Franchise
Wellington Orcas
The Wellington rugby league team are a rugby league team that represents the Wellington Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby League competitions. They currently compete in the National Zonal Competition as the Wellington Orcas.-Early years:...
in the Bartercard Cup. He re-applied for the job at the end of the 2003 but wanted too much money and so was not reappointed.
Instead, at the end of the New Zealand 'A' tour, he was offered the opportunity to stay in England and coach his old club, Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
. The club was in a state of disrepair and only seven players were contracted to the club. Stokes rebuilt the squad. However he was later fired by the club over an alleged disciplinary breach, despite being cleared by a RFL
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
investigation. The club later agreed to a £14,000 pay-off days before a court case bought by Stokes was due to be heard.
Whitehaven
In early 2008 he was offered the job of coaching WhitehavenWhitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
, Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
s bitter rivals, after coach Paul Crarey
Paul Crarey
Paul Crarey is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and coach of the 1990s and 2000s who at club level has played for Barrow, playing at , i.e. number 9, and at representative level has coached for Cumbria, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, and...
left the club citing personal health issues. In late 2008 he traveled to Serbia and helped the national side prepare for the RLEF Euro Med Challenge
RLEF Euro Med Challenge
-Standings:-2009:In 2009, the RLEF announced that Russia, Lebanon and Serbia would be promoted to a revamped European Nations Cup. The Euro-Med Challenge was therefore contested by three new teams in 2009 - Belgium and Catalonia, who made their competitive debuts, and Morocco...
. This move quickly proved beneficial to his club side as Whitehaven signed young Serbian national Soni Radovanovic
Soni Radovanovic
Soni Radovanović is a Serbian rugby league player who currently plays for Racing Club Lescure-Arthès XIII in the French Elite One Championship. He previously played for Whitehaven in the Co-operative Championship. His position is usually at prop. He is a key player for the Serbia national rugby...
in January 2009. Stokes was sacked in August 2010 after winning only 1 game in 14, with a disastrous record 13 game losing streak that ultimately led to Whitehaven's relegation from the Championship.