- Sam Landsberger passed away at the age of 35
- The football journalist died in a traffic accident
- Tributes for Landsberger have poured in
Football journalist Sam Landsberger has died aged 35 after a car 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 taken to Alfred Hospital with life-threatening injuries. He died shortly afterwards.
The truck driver was a 45-year-old man who was not injured and was released pending further investigation.
The sportswriter joined the Herald Sun in 2010 as an AFL and cricket writer and quickly emerged as one of the sport’s leading journalists.
He later landed a weekly slot on Fox Footy and was much loved by his industry peers.
“Sam Landsberger had a huge future in journalism and made huge strides from the start,” said Herald Sun football editor Mark Robinson.
“He loved the game, understood it and respected his craft. He was a hugely valuable member of Melbourne’s sports journalism world, someone who could cover all aspects of football. And people trusted him.”
Football journalist Sam Landsberger has tragically passed away at the age of 35
The Herald Sun reporter was involved in a road traffic collision in Richmond on Tuesday.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch told X: “He was a great journalist and someone everyone gave a lot of time and respect to.”
Landsberger appeared on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle this season alongside presenter Jay Clark, who recalled the first day he joined 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 the beautiful, effortless way he covered the game from the start.”
“He was a superb writer, a joy to read, a fearless journalist and a beam of energy on television with Fox Footy. He was the star of our Midweek Tackle show and an incredible friend, who always made you smile. I will miss him very much and also our phone conversations that always went on for too long.”
Herald Sun editor Sam Weird said Landsberger “lit up the newsroom” in a heartfelt tribute.
“This tragedy is a devastating loss for Sam’s family, his friends and his 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 at everything he did, from breaking the big stories to providing expert analysis on Fox Footy. He was much loved and respected and had an incredible career ahead of him. Our thoughts are with his family. Sam will be deeply missed.’
News Corp Australasia chief executive Michael Miller said: ‘Sam was an incredibly diligent journalist, always in the office with his phone to his ear talking to his valued football contacts.
‘His passion for pursuing the big story set him apart from many others.’
Landsberger attended Melbourne High School before attending Monash University from 2007 to 2010. She graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism.
Melbourne Highway Patrol officers are continuing their investigation into the collision, although the exact details of the accident have yet to be determined.
Witnesses or drivers with dashcam footage of the incident are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
We will continue to report more.