Footy journalist Sam Landsberger has died aged 35 following a traffic accident involving a truck in Richmond.
Police were called to a collision in Richmond at around 10.20am on Tuesday morning at the intersection of Bridge Road and Church Street.
Landsberger was transported to The Alfred hospital with life-threatening injuries. He died a short time later.
The driver of the truck was a 45-year-old man who was not injured. He has been released pending further enquiries.
The sports reporter joined the Herald Sun in 2010 as an AFL and cricket writer and quickly emerged as one of the hottest journalists in the game.
He later earned a weekly slot on Fox Footy and was loved by his colleagues in the industry.
‘Sam Landsberger had an enormous future in journalism and took giant strides early on,’ said Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson.
‘He loved the game and understood it, and he respected his craft. He was such a valuable member of Melbourne’s sports journalism world, someone who could cover all aspects of footy. And people trusted him.’
Footy journalist Sam Landsberger has tragically died at the age of 35
The Herald Sun reporter was involved in a traffic collision in Richmond on Tuesday
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch said on X: ‘He was a great journalist and someone everyone had a lot of time and respect for.’
Landsberger featured on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle this season alongside host Jay Clark, who recalled the first day he arrived at News Corp.
‘I loved working with Sam and adored him as a person,’ he said.
‘I remember the day he walked into the Herald Sun office and how effortlessly and beautifully he covered the game from the start.’
‘He was a superb writer, a joy to read, a fearless journo and a ball of energy on the television with Fox Footy. He was the star of our Midweek Tackle and an incredible friend, who always made you smile. I’ll miss him so much and our phone conversations that always went too long.’
Sam Weir, the editor of the Herald Sun, said Landsberger ‘lit up the newsroom’ in a heartfelt tribute.
‘This tragedy is a devastating loss for Sam’s family, friends and colleagues at the Herald Sun and the sporting codes he covered with such passion,’ he said.
‘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.’
Jon Ralph said: ‘Sammy was an incredible journalist. He had all the best traits of an old-fashioned journo with rock solid sources — who he protected at all costs — massive work rate and stubborn as all hell when he had a sniff of a story.
‘And he did it with a modern sensibility, his fingers flashing as he relentlessly texted his sources for the latest nugget he could weave into columns packed with newsy morsels.’
Landsberger was educated at Melbourne High School before attending Monash University from 2007 until 2010. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.
Landsberger (centre) was much-loved by colleagues and tributes have poured in for him
He arrived at the Herald Sun in 2010 and won multiple awards for his journalism
He won the Australian Football Media Association award in 2013, handed to the most outstanding young media reporter of the year.
He also won the Walkley Young Journalist of the Year the same year, while he won three successive Twenty20 media awards.
A lifelong Western Bulldogs supporter, Landsberger was the son of Dr Jake Landsberger, who worked as the AFL club’s team doctor.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said: ‘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.
‘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.
‘The AFL will formally acknowledge Sam’s passing at tonight’s launch of the AFLW season in Melbourne and send our sincere condolences to his many friends.’
Melbourne Highway Patrol officers are continuing their investigation into the collision, with the exact details surrounding the crash yet to be determined.
Witnesses or drivers with dash cam footage of the incident have been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.