Steven Folkes
Second Row, Lock
Player Bio
- Inducted:
- 2025
- Date of Birth:
- 31 January 1959
- Birthplace:
- Sydney, NSW
- Nickname:
- Folkesy
- Debut Team:
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
- Date:
- 09 July 1978
- Opposition:
- -
- Venue:
- Redfern Oval
- Representative:
- 5 Tests for Australia, 9 State of Origin Matches for NSW, 2 Matches for NSW City, 2 Matches for NSW City Firsts, 1 Match for NSW City Seconds
- Clubs:
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (1978-1989, 1991), Hull FC (1989/90)
Career
Milestones
- First Canterbury-Bankstown Player to Play 300 Club Games
- 1980, 1984-85, 1988 Premiership Winner (Player)
- 2004 Premiership Winner (Coach)
- Longest-Serving Canterbury-Bankstown Coach (1998-2008)
- Sixteen Games as Canterbury-Bankstown Captain (1984-1988)
- Second Premiership Winner as Player and Coach for Canterbury-Bankstown
- Canterbury-Bankstown Life Member
- Berries to Bulldogs 70 Year Team of Champions
- Bulldogs Ring of Champions
- Canterbury-Bankstown Hall of Fame
Playing
- First Class Games
- 259
- Points
- 167
- Tries
- 47
Biography
A beloved Clubman, Coach and figure, Steven Folkes holds a distinguished place in Canterbury-Bankstown's long and steeped history.
A local junior with Bankstown Sports, Folkes rose to grade as a halfback in 1977, becoming a regular member of the Under 23 team and played in the play offs. His rise through the Club's system saw him move to the middle of the field.
During his time in reserve grade, he set the record for most tries in a game with four - before getting an opportunity in first-grade to debut as a replacement against South Sydney in 1978.
In 1979, Folkes became a regular member of the first grade team and played in the Grand Final against St George, before moving into the second row on a full-time basis and becoming a Premiership winner in the famous 1980 triumph.
He remained a consistent performer for the Bulldogs in the early 1980s, becoming the side's 'Mr Fix-It' and filling in where required; including in the halves and at lock.
His first of sixteen games as captain came in 1984, the same year he would help Canterbury lift the Premiership trophy, doing so again the following season where he was awarded Life Membership of the Football Club.
Folkes' on-field contributions to the Bulldogs were awarded when he debuted for NSW and Australia in 1986, going on to play nine games for NSW and five Tests for Australia.
Another Premiership victory came in 1988 against Balmain, while Folkes' commitment to the Canterbury cause saw another personal milestone achieved in 1989, where he became the first player to achieve 300 Club games.
Despite a brief stint at Hull FC in England's north in 1989/90, Folkes returned for one last season in Belmore, with his 245th and final match in the Blue and White in the fifth-place playoff against Western Suburbs.
Steven continued with the club as a trainer and was appointed Reserve Grade coach in 1996.
In 1997, he coached the team to win the reserve grade Super League Grand Final against Auckland.
In 1998, Steven was appointed first grade coach and his team made the Grand Final against Brisbane after qualifying 9th.
He has coached the team to finals in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 winning his first premiership as coach in 2004.
In 2004 Steven was named in the Berries to Bulldogs 70 Year Team of Champions in the second row.
On April 1 2007, he was inducted into the Bulldogs Ring of Champions.
Steven retired at the end of season 2008, his eleventh season at the club, being the longest serving first grade coach at the club.
Hall of Fame Members
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs respect and honour the Darug and Eora nations, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.