THE FOOTBALL industry has been deeply shocked by the sudden death of journalist Sam Landsberger following a traffic accident in Richmond on Tuesday morning.
Landsberger, 35, spent more than 14 years covering football for News Corp in Melbourne and was well known to football fans through his work in the pages of the Herald Sun and, more recently, on television for Fox Footy.
He won several awards for his football writing, including the Australian Football Media Association's Clinton Grybas Rising Star Award in 2013 and the Walkley Award for student journalist of the year in 2014. Last year, he won the Australian Football Media Association's award for best print news reporter.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon extended the League's condolences to the Landsberger family, his News Corp colleagues and also to the Western Bulldogs, where Landsberger's father Jake was a long-serving club doctor for more than 20 years.
"Sam has been taken from his family and friends in a terrible tragedy today and all our love and care go out to them in this time of greatest need,” Mr Dillon said.
"Across more than a decade, Sam has been building his impressive journalistic career and was respected for both his tenacity for chasing a story and his incredible passion for the game. We know his death has had a devastating impact on those who worked with Sam at News and Foxtel and his many friends across the football and media industries.
"We send our sincere condolences to Sam’s family and to his work colleagues but also our thoughts are with all those across the football industry and the football media for whom Sam was both colleague and friend."
In a statement on Tuesday night, the Bulldogs said they were "shocked and saddened" by the news.
"As well as being a talented and respected journalist, Sam was an ardent Bulldogs fan and had close family ties through his father Jake, the club's former long-term medical officer and Bulldogs life member," the Dogs said.
"His enthusiasm for the game and passion for his work was always evident and his positive approach and friendly nature will be fondly recalled by all who knew and worked with him."
Herald Sun editor Sam Weir said Landsberger's death was a "devastating loss" for his family, friends, colleagues and the wider sporting codes he covered.
“He was an energetic and talented football and cricket journalist, who lit up the newsroom. Sam excelled in everything he did, from breaking the big stories to expert analysis on Fox Footy. He was well-loved and well-respected and had an incredible career ahead of him. Our thoughts go out to his family. Sam will be deeply missed," Weir said.
The Australian Football Media Association also extended its deepest sympathies to the Landsberger family, Sam's friends and his colleagues at News Corp and the wider football industry.
Landsberger’s Herald Sun colleague and AFMA committee member Glenn McFarlane said: "Sam was one of the brightest young stars in Australian sports journalism. He shone through with his exceptional work ethic, his prodigious talent and his eagerness to chase the yarn without fear but always with compassion. He cared deeply about his craft and we cared deeply about him."