That’s all Folkes

In the end Steve Folkes jumped before he was pushed. The Bulldogs coach yesterday told the club and players he would quit at the end of the season, leaving on his own terms and just a few weeks before board members were to decide his future.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg denied Folkes had been given a `tap on the shoulder’, but Folkes said speculation his time was up had played on his mind.

“I have been giving the matter plenty of thought in recent weeks and I feel the decision is the right one and not only for me but for the club as well,” said Folkes in a statement.

“My decision will end the speculation that’s been rife for the past few months about my future and will enable me and the players to get on with the job of winning football matches and being in contention at the business end of the season.

“I reckon I still have another 10 years ahead of me as a coach and this decision will enable me to reinvent myself once my obligations with the Bulldogs finish.”

Folkes joins a coaching carousel gathering considerable momentum with five NRL clubs now set to begin 2009 with a new boss – and 2008 is only four weeks old.

In his 11th season at the Bulldogs Folkes was the second longest-serving coach in the NRL and he joins the longest-serving mentor in Brisbane’s Wayne Bennett to quit.

Canberra’s Neil Henry also quit to take up the gig in North Queensland after the Cowboys gave Graham Murray his marching orders, while Bennett joins St George Illawarra who have punted Nathan Brown for next year.

Greenberg guaranteed Folkes would see out the season, but said a search for a replacement began “five minutes” after he left his office.

Assistant coach Kevin Moore and Super League coach Mick Potter are the early favourites, while Daniel Anderson, Stephen Kearney and Murray will come under consideration.

Greenberg says after the club missed out on several star recruits because of the coaching uncertainty he will act quickly in finding a replacement.

“We are going to move quickly because we need to,” said Greenberg.

“I will be sitting with (skipper) Andrew (Ryan) and our leadership group to understand the sorts of skills and certain traits they’re looking for in a coach and they’ll be having significant input into the appointment.

“Knowing Steve as we do he will have the best interests of this club at heart for the rest of the year and again we want him working as he has been for the last 10 years and trying to take us to a premiership in 2008.”

Ryan said he was “surprised” Folkes quit and, even though there’d been reports of disharmony and lack of support among the playing group, the skipper vowed the team would fight to send the coach out in style.

“I’m sure the players are pretty sad to see him not be around next year,” said Ryan.

“He has gone out on his terms and hopefully we can be successful under him for another season this year.

“Steve Folkes has been involved in this club for 30 years, I can’t imagine us as a playing group not wanting to send him out the right way.

“It’s not all about that but we want to be as successful as we can under Steve Folkes and I’m sure he wants to do everything in his power to try and win a premiership in his last year as coach of the Dogs.”

NRL COACHES ON THE MOVE AFTER 2008:
Wayne Bennett (Brisbane) to St George Illawarra
Steve Folkes (Bulldogs), destination unknown
Neil Henry (Canberra), to North Queensland
Graham Murray (North Queensland), destination unknown
Nathan Brown (St George Illawarra), destination unknown

GOING AFTER 2008?
Craig Bellamy (Melbourne) to Brisbane?