The Herald Sun, Melbourne Press Club and Western Bulldogs have launched the Sam Landsberger Sport Journalism Fellowship, honouring the legacy of the award-winning sports journalist who died in 2024 aged 35.
The fellowship will give a Western Suburbs school leaver or university graduate the chance to build skills across sports journalism and club media.
The six-month placement includes four months with the Herald Sun sports team and two months with the Western Bulldogs’ media team.
What is the Sam Landsberger Sport Journalism Fellowship?
The fellowship has been created to support emerging sports reporters from Melbourne’s western suburbs.
It brings together three organisations closely connected to Landsberger’s career and life: the Herald Sun, Melbourne Press Club and Western Bulldogs Football Club.
Sam Weir, editor of the Herald Sun, said the fellowship would help young sports fans turn their interest into a professional pathway.
“Sam was an invaluable member of the Herald Sun team and relished breaking the big stories. He was respected by AFL players and coaches and loved by our readers. This offers young sports fanatics a chance to turn their passion into a career,” Weir said.
Sam Weir
Honouring Landsberger’s career and legacy
Nick Richardson, CEO of the Melbourne Press Club, said the fellowship was a fitting way to recognise Landsberger’s commitment to journalism.
“I worked with Sam when he was starting out, and every day, he just wanted to get better. Providing an opportunity for someone to follow in his footsteps is a great way to honour his memory,” Richardson said.
Ameet Bains, CEO of the Western Bulldogs, said the initiative also reflected the Landsberger family’s long connection with the AFL club.
“The Landsberger family has been a key part of the Bulldogs’ family for decades now, so to be able to honour Sam’s memory and legacy this way is fantastic,” Bains said.
Applications for the Sam Landsberger Sport Journalism Fellowship are now open.
Top image: Sam Landsberger