Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes will begin preparing for a future he has no part of after his NRL side reached new lows in Sunday's thumping 56-4 loss to Wests Tigers.

Folkes struggled to describe his mental state after watching his side get thumped for the second week in a row, but with finals no longer even a mathematical possibility, he admitted it was time to look to the future.

And at the Bulldogs that's a future without Folkes, who will replaced by assistant Kevin Moore in 2009.

"I guess the rest of this year we have an opportunity to blood a few kids, see how they handle first grade," said Folkes, who has given the likes of John Kite and Ben Barba their NRL debuts in recent weeks.

"But that's also difficult because you don't want to throw them into a side that's playing poorly ... it's sort of a catch 22 with how many guys you look to bring in.

"Unfortunately that's the way it is at the moment, there's not a lot we can do about it."

Part of Folkes' forward thinking includes moving on from the Sonny Bill Williams saga.

While the club is still earnestly chasing their runaway star through the courts, Folkes said it was time the players and the fans looked to who would be wearing the blue and white in the years ahead.

The Bulldogs have lost by a combined 86-4 since Williams did a runner to France just over a week ago.

"We need to move on as a club and I don't think the players today were thinking 'oh, I wish Sonny Bill was here'," Folkes said.

"We prepared as well as we could and I thought the atmosphere was okay pregame in the dressing room but we just fell into the same traps we've done the last couple of weeks and conceded near on 30 points in the first half."

Asked how he was dealing with the lean trot, which has the Bulldogs in the race for the wooden spoon, Folkes said: "I'm not sure what emotion I'm feeling at present, I guess disappointment is one of them.

"It's difficult, it's a difficult time for the club, it's a difficult time for me personally and for all the players and fans it's difficult."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP