Linda Pearcce has been named the 9th Harry Gordon Australian Sports Journalist of the Year for coverage of the Collingwood netball program.

Judges' citation

Linda's compelling series on the failure of the Collingwood netball club revealed the dysfunction at the heart of the famous football club's foray into women’s netball. Through a series of interviews with former coaches, players and administrators, Linda's deep-dive exposed the personalities and issues besetting the club, foreshadowing its ultimate withdrawal from the league.

She used the digital format to great effect, to engage and build an audience, expertly crafting the long-form stories.

Her commitment to keeping a watching brief on the troubled leadership and division at Netball Australia also led her to write with clarity and authority about the challenges confronting the organisation after the tumultuous exit of its CEO.

The winning entry

• Inside the dysfunctional birth of Collingwood netball, 16 May 2023
• 'A disaster': How powerful Pies fell to the brink of oblivion, 17 May 2023
• 'We're the big guys': How footy hubris hobbled Pies, 20 May 2023
• Shambles': How SSN saga drained Shimona's hope and motivation, 11 September 2023
• WHY NA board should follow Ryan in full netball reset, 12 December 2023

Linda's speech

Other finalists

Tom Decent, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

• Poolside interview with Mollie O'Callaghan, 26 July 2023 (Nine)
• Eddie Jones held Zoom job interview with Japan days before Wallabies’ World Cup campaign, 24 September 2023
• ‘Just watch out’: The text that was the beginning of the end for Hamish McLennan, 24 November 2023
• The 14 times Eddie Jones denied links with Japan top job, 8 December 2023
• Here’s why Eddie Jones’ claims about Japan job are misleading, 15 December 2023

Michael Gleeson, The Age

• For Peter Bol, the damage that has been done cannot be fully undone, 18 February 2023
• Why wrongly accused Peter Bol deserves an apology, 1 August 2023
• The iconic moment of sporting mateship that strained a friendship, 23 August 2023
• ‘All-time clutch performer’: Why new world champion Nina Kennedy can vault to Olympic gold, 24 August 2023
• Fair share? Gold medal choice shouldn’t be the athletes’ decision, 24 August 2023

Jake Niall, The Age

• "I've got nothing to say sorry for'' - Jason Burt repsonds to Hawthorn allegations, 24 May 2023
• High profile players refuse to play ball on AFL betting ads, 28 February 2023
• Hawthorn probe impasse, 11 May 2023
• ‘Heavy toll’: Roos blindsided by Clarkson decision to step away, 18 May 2023
• ‘We’ve got a problem here’: What Brad Scott found at Essendon, 19 March 2023