Steve Folkes
Encyclopedia
Steve Folkes is a former Australian rugby league test footballer and former coach of the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League
. He is currently the assitant coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons
.
football. At the end of the 1986 NSWRL season, he went on the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
. He would play a total of five Tests between 1986-88. As a player, Folkes played in 6 Grand Finals (1979, 80, 84, 85, 86 and 88) winning on four occasions.
, where they lost to Wayne Bennett's Brisbane Broncos
.
The Bulldogs appeared poised to claim the 2002 NRL premiership but were disqualified and stripped 37 premiership points after a major salary cap breach was uncovered. Folkes claimed his premiership two seasons later with a 16–13 defeat of the Sydney Roosters
in the grand final.
Steve Folkes was awarded Dally M
Coach of the Year in 2004.
The 2004 grand final victory continues a unique tradition at the Bulldogs - every coach appointed by the club since 1978 - (Ted Glossop
, Warren Ryan
, Phil Gould
, Chris Anderson and Folkes) - has won a premiership. At the end of the 2007 season, Folkes' win record with the Bulldogs was 60%.
On 7 April 2008, the Bulldogs announced that Folkes tenure as would end with the 2008 season.
Following his departure from the Bulldogs, Folkes took up a position as strength and conditioning coach for the West Indies cricket team. In October 2009, Folkes returned to rugby league, accepting the role of strength and conditioning coach for the Wests Tigers
. In 2011, he was an assistant coach with the club.
It was announced in May 2011 that Folkes would join the St George Illawarra Dragons
as the assistant coach to Steve Price from 2012.
Folkes is married to Karen, who is the daughter of Bulldogs 'godfather', Peter Moore
.
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. He is currently the assitant coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
.
Playing career
Folkes, who came from the Bankstown Sports Junior Rugby League Club, played 245 first grade games and 308 grade games for the Bulldogs between 1978 and 1991 as well as 24 games for Hull in England. A hard-working second-row forward; despite playing at 85 kilograms, he could beat many, much bigger opponents through the number of tackles he was able to make. He also represented New South Wales on nine occasions in State of OriginRugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
football. At the end of the 1986 NSWRL season, he went on the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
1986 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France
The 1986 Kangaroo tour was the sixteenth Kangaroo Tour where the Australian side plays a number of matches against British and French rugby league teams, in additions to the Test matches...
. He would play a total of five Tests between 1986-88. As a player, Folkes played in 6 Grand Finals (1979, 80, 84, 85, 86 and 88) winning on four occasions.
Coaching career
After serving as reserve grade coach of the Bulldogs between 1996 and 1997, Folkes was appointed coach of the Bulldogs to succeed Chris Anderson. In his first year as coach, the Bulldogs made the 1998 NRL grand final1998 NRL grand final
The 1998 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final since the National Rugby League's formation and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos against the Canterbury Bulldogs,...
, where they lost to Wayne Bennett's Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
.
The Bulldogs appeared poised to claim the 2002 NRL premiership but were disqualified and stripped 37 premiership points after a major salary cap breach was uncovered. Folkes claimed his premiership two seasons later with a 16–13 defeat of the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in the grand final.
Steve Folkes was awarded Dally M
Dally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
Coach of the Year in 2004.
The 2004 grand final victory continues a unique tradition at the Bulldogs - every coach appointed by the club since 1978 - (Ted Glossop
Ted Glossop
Ted Glossop was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons then went on to become a first-grade coach with Cronulla-Sutherland, Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George....
, Warren Ryan
Warren Ryan
Warren Ryan is former rugby league football coach and player from Sydney, Australia. He is considered as one of the most influential coaches in recent times. Ryan also played 1st Grade Rugby League for the St George Dragons and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks....
, Phil Gould
Phil Gould
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast...
, Chris Anderson and Folkes) - has won a premiership. At the end of the 2007 season, Folkes' win record with the Bulldogs was 60%.
On 7 April 2008, the Bulldogs announced that Folkes tenure as would end with the 2008 season.
Following his departure from the Bulldogs, Folkes took up a position as strength and conditioning coach for the West Indies cricket team. In October 2009, Folkes returned to rugby league, accepting the role of strength and conditioning coach for the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
. In 2011, he was an assistant coach with the club.
It was announced in May 2011 that Folkes would join the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
as the assistant coach to Steve Price from 2012.
Folkes is married to Karen, who is the daughter of Bulldogs 'godfather', Peter Moore
Peter Bullfrog Moore
Peter "Bullfrog" Moore OAM was an Australian rugby league administrator, particularly associated with the Canterbury Bulldogs, where he was Chief Executive from 1969-1995, serving a record 26 years at the helm...
.
Coaching record
| Steve Folkes - Coaching Results by Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL Team | Year | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win % | Finals Series |
| Bulldogs | 1998 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 58.62% | Grand Final: 12-38 v Brisbane |
| 1999 | 26 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 61.53% | Semi Final: 22-24 v Melbourne | |
| 2000 | 26 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 38.46% | ||
| 2001 | 28 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 60.71% | Semi Final: 10-52 v Cronulla | |
| 2002 | 24 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 83.3% | ||
| 2003 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 62.96% | Preliminary Final: 18-28 v Sydney Roosters | |
| 2004 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 78.57% | Grand Final: 16-13 v Sydney Roosters | |
| 2005 | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 37.5% | ||
| 2006 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 65.38% | Preliminary Final: 20-37 v Brisbane | |
| 2007 | 26 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 46.15% | Semi Final: 6-25 v Parramatta | |
| 2008 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 20.83% | ||
| Career | 288 | 162 | 119 | 7 | 56.3% | at 30 September 2008 | |