Steve Folkes

Coaching Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Saturday, 31st January, 1959
Died
Tuesday, 27th February, 2018 (Aged 59 years and 27 days)
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Coach Of The Year
2004

Known Family Links

Brother-in-law
Kevin Moore

Biography

One of the fittest and most dedicated trainers in the game Steve Folkes was a rock-like second-row forward in the Bulldogs' four grand final victories during the 1980s. He first played for NSW in 1986, progressing to the Test team for the series against NZ, and despite suffering a groin strain which kept him out of football for the rest of the year he was cleared to tour with the Kangaroos. Folkes played in only 6 matches on tour including the Second Test against France. His final Test appearance was against Great Britain in 1988 but it was in the week-to-week grind of premiership matches that he continued to prove himself. Folkes retired in 1990, then spending a season in England with Hull, but returned to C’bury as club conditioner and actually played part of the 1991 season as hooker. He then served a long apprenticeship as club conditioner and lower grade coach under Chris Anderson before taking over the first grade role following the Bulldogs’ 1997 Super League season. In his debut year Folkes took C’bury to the grand final with a series of desperate, last-minute wins in the 1998 semi-final series. Although ultimately beaten 38-12 by a champion Broncos team Folkes’ tenure with the Bulldogs marks him as one of the most hard-working coaches of the modern game. In 2002 he weathered the stripping of 37 competition points for salary cap infringements and allegations of player misconduct in 2003-04 to take the club to the grand final in 2004. The Bulldogs’ 16-13 win over the Roosters was a just reward for this stoic, quietly-determined coach. In 2005 the Bulldogs missed the play-offs after an injury-ridden season and after making the preliminary final in 2006, the 2007 season marks Folkes’ tenth straight season as coach of the club.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Coaching Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   Games W L D Win %  
NRL 288 162 119 7 56.25% List
NRL Finals 20 10 10 0 50.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 0 1 0 0.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season Games W L D Win %  
Canterbury NRL 1998 29 17 12 0 58.62% List
Canterbury NRL 1999 26 16 9 1 61.54% List
Bulldogs NRL 2000 26 10 15 1 38.46% List
Bulldogs NRL 2001 28 17 8 3 60.71% List
Bulldogs NRL 2002 24 20 3 1 83.33% List
Bulldogs NRL 2003 27 17 10 0 62.96% List
Bulldogs NRL 2004 28 22 6 0 78.57% List
Bulldogs NRL 2005 24 9 14 1 37.50% List
Bulldogs NRL 2006 26 17 9 0 65.38% List
Bulldogs NRL 2007 26 12 14 0 46.15% List
Bulldogs NRL 2008 24 5 19 0 20.83% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years Games W L D Win %  
Canterbury 1998-08 288 162 119 7 56.25% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    11/11/2015

    Pound for pound one of the toughest player to play the game. The type of player you would want next to you every week.

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Greg Stroud, Steven Russo, Max Turner, Bill Bates

Sources: NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Match Video, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, Newspapers