- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
After 30 years of blood sweat and tears, Steve Folkes’ time with the Bulldogs scarcely deserved to end this way.
Walking off ANZ Stadium to the applause of just a handful of dedicated fans, Folkes had just coached the Bulldogs at home for the last time – a 36-22 loss to Brisbane which all but consigned the blue and whites to the wooden spoon.
“It’s obviously a fairly emotional day for me, this year hasn’t been great, that’s been pretty well documented I guess,” Folkes said.
“The fact that I had 30 pretty good years here both as a a player and in a coaching capacity – it’s a career I’m proud of.
“I’m happy with the job that I’ve done, I leave here pretty content I guess.”
Asked if he shed a tear as he watched highlights from his time at the club, Folkes said:
“I didn’t but it’s not beyond me.
“It does get to you a bit.
“The realisation that I’m not actually working here is probably when I drive into my next venue of employment, wherever that may be.
“I don’t think you really appreciate the fact that you’ve been somewhere for 30 years until your somewhere else.
No doubt Folkes’ fondest memories will not involve any feats of 2008, a year which has seen the club struggle on and off the field.
The likely wooden spoon would be the club’s first since 2002, when they were consigned to the bottom of the ladder after they rorted the salary cap.
The last time they finished last based purely on performance was 1965, Folkes hoping the poor finish to his time at the club would not haunt him into the future having already been overlooked for coaching positions at Super League clubs Huddersfield and Warrington.
“Prior to this year my winning record was about 60 per cent, which is up there with the top two or three,” Folkes said.
“I hope that the way we’ve performed this year doesn’t impact too much on my prospects.
“In an ideal world that’s what I want to continue to do is coach rugby league.
“I think I’ve still got plenty to offer.
“I’m sure something will crop up, it’s just a matter of being a bit patient I think.”
NRL ROUND 25 SNAPSHOT:
THEY SAID IT: “We probably played one of our worst games in a few weeks, at the wrong time. It was a very important game for us and we blew it,” Parramatta backrower Nathan Hindmarsh after his side bowed out of the finals race with a 40-14 loss to the Dragons.
STAT THAT MATTERS: The Dragons made 11 line breaks to just one for the Eels in a clear sign of just how bad Parramatta are going.
MAN OF THE ROUND: Knights halfback Scott Dureau after he piloted his side to a stunning 17-16 win over Melbourne, his crucial field goal proving the difference between the two sides.
MAGIC MOMENT: Chris Sandow’s attempted 40-20 kick late in South Sydney’s dramatic 22-20 loss to the Roosters. The kick fell just centimetres short of giving the Rabbitohs one last crack at the Roosters line, but what a gutsy play.
TALKING POINT: Are St George Illawarra really capable of doing something in the finals given their recent run of good form?
JUDICIARY WATCH: Paul Gallen (Sharks) – on report for high tackle, Sam Thaiday (Broncos) not on report but may come under scrutiny for a lifting tackle on Bulldogs youngster Jamal Idris.
KEY INJURIES: Roosters: Amos Roberts – shoulder; Souths: Roy Asotasi (torn pectoral muscle), Knights: Scott Dureau (foot); .
UNDER PRESSURE: Penrith coach Matthew Elliott’s position may come into question after the Panthers were squeezed out of the race for the finals. Talk of player unrest won’t help Elliott’s cause and neither will the impending return of St Helens coach Daniel Anderson back to Australia.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.