Steve Folkes

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.