Spudowsky
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Former Bulldogs coach and long-time stalwart Steve Folkes has confirmed that he'll be putting in for the Parramatta coaching job for next season.
Folkes enjoyed 31 seasons with the Bulldogs as a player, trainer and coach and will consider moving across to the Bulldogs traditional arch-rivals if it meant continuing his coaching career.
Folkes coached the Bulldogs for 11 seasons in the top grade and played 245 first grade games from 1978 to 1991.
Ironically, Folkes was stand-in captain for the Bulldogs in 1986 when the Eels lost their first game at Parramatta Stadium, which opened that season. Folkes played against Parramatta in two Grand Finals - winning in 1984 and losing controversially in 1986.
Folkes announced earlier this year that he was moving on as Bulldogs coach believing that 11 years was sufficient service. The Bulldogs quickly appointed Kevin Moore into the top job. Moore had a long apprenticeship in the lower grades and won three titles, which is the most by a Bulldogs coach in all major grades combined.
Folkes said, "If you're a career coach, you coach wherever the job is."
When refereeing to the Eels, he said Parramatta "have got a pretty talented roster and they're a well-run club. It would certainly be a pretty good gig for whoever gets it.
"You do what you know best, I suppose."
The long association Folkes had with the Bulldogs ended in a sour note this year when the club won the dreaded wooden spoon. However, that should not diminish the outstanding achievements of Folkes as a player, trainer and coach.
Folkes said, "Last year was a pretty sad year for everyone at the Bulldogs. I guess my reputation is tarnished a bit by that.
"But over 11 years I've been fairly successful, we've only missed the semis a few times.
"I've had a fair bit of success, but unfortunately the last year I was coaching there was the year we finished with the wooden spoon. That's the way it is, that's sport."
Parramatta supremo Denis Fitzgerald said the Eels would take their time in appointing the next coach to succeed Hagan. However, Folkes said, "It would have to come off fairly shortly, as I am on my way overseas in the next week or two.
Folkes and Hagan were former team-mates at Canterbury and played alongside each other in the 1985, 1986 and 1988 Grand Final victories. Hagan was a non-playing reserve in Canterbury's 1984 triumph against Parramatta and both regard each other as good mates.
St Helens coach Daniel Anderson is considered the short price favourite ahead of Eels assistants David Fairleigh and Matt Cameron and others candidates Shane Flanagan and Stephen Kearney.
Folkes though has won an NRL premiership as a coach and has also been in a Grand Final. Folkes at NRL level has achieved far much more success than Anderson and one bad year due to administration blunders shouldn't diminish the success Folkes has had as a coach and his discipline style of coaching would be ideal for the Eels next year.
Folkes enjoyed 31 seasons with the Bulldogs as a player, trainer and coach and will consider moving across to the Bulldogs traditional arch-rivals if it meant continuing his coaching career.
Folkes coached the Bulldogs for 11 seasons in the top grade and played 245 first grade games from 1978 to 1991.
Ironically, Folkes was stand-in captain for the Bulldogs in 1986 when the Eels lost their first game at Parramatta Stadium, which opened that season. Folkes played against Parramatta in two Grand Finals - winning in 1984 and losing controversially in 1986.
Folkes announced earlier this year that he was moving on as Bulldogs coach believing that 11 years was sufficient service. The Bulldogs quickly appointed Kevin Moore into the top job. Moore had a long apprenticeship in the lower grades and won three titles, which is the most by a Bulldogs coach in all major grades combined.
Folkes said, "If you're a career coach, you coach wherever the job is."
When refereeing to the Eels, he said Parramatta "have got a pretty talented roster and they're a well-run club. It would certainly be a pretty good gig for whoever gets it.
"You do what you know best, I suppose."
The long association Folkes had with the Bulldogs ended in a sour note this year when the club won the dreaded wooden spoon. However, that should not diminish the outstanding achievements of Folkes as a player, trainer and coach.
Folkes said, "Last year was a pretty sad year for everyone at the Bulldogs. I guess my reputation is tarnished a bit by that.
"But over 11 years I've been fairly successful, we've only missed the semis a few times.
"I've had a fair bit of success, but unfortunately the last year I was coaching there was the year we finished with the wooden spoon. That's the way it is, that's sport."
Parramatta supremo Denis Fitzgerald said the Eels would take their time in appointing the next coach to succeed Hagan. However, Folkes said, "It would have to come off fairly shortly, as I am on my way overseas in the next week or two.
Folkes and Hagan were former team-mates at Canterbury and played alongside each other in the 1985, 1986 and 1988 Grand Final victories. Hagan was a non-playing reserve in Canterbury's 1984 triumph against Parramatta and both regard each other as good mates.
St Helens coach Daniel Anderson is considered the short price favourite ahead of Eels assistants David Fairleigh and Matt Cameron and others candidates Shane Flanagan and Stephen Kearney.
Folkes though has won an NRL premiership as a coach and has also been in a Grand Final. Folkes at NRL level has achieved far much more success than Anderson and one bad year due to administration blunders shouldn't diminish the success Folkes has had as a coach and his discipline style of coaching would be ideal for the Eels next year.
