Sam Landsberger’s father Jake Landsberger reflects on Footscray’s impact on his family

Sam Landsberger loved Footscray, the club where his dad Jake was the long-time doctor. The late Herald Sun journalist would have relished a week like this where the history of the club he adored will be celebrated.

Sammy Landsberger would have loved this week so much.

In a week celebrating Footscray’s centenary he would have dominated the Herald Sun office debates – has The Bont gone past ‘EJ’ yet? – and have revelled in the comedic or bizarre.

Like the Dogs supporter who bombarded newspapers offices once a week for a decade to whisper conspiratorially to anyone who was listening that the Western Bulldogs were about to revert to their historic Footscray moniker.

Get on the story, he would urge as he tried to wish his nostalgic football fantasy into reality.

Finally this week it comes true – if only for a few days – and Sammy would have cackled with laughter to think of that Dogs traditionalist basking in his day in the sun.

The club’s 100-year VFL-AFL celebration is a time to reflect on every one of the iconic chapters in the history of a club on its deathbed more times than you can count.

Easton Wood and Matthew Boyd celebrate Western Bulldogs’ 2016 premiership.

That survival aspect is baked into this club’s DNA – the most recent president Peter Gordon spearheaded the club-saving Operation Fightback in 1989 then after a second stint in the role handed the title to Kyle Watson-Wheeler, who attended one of those rallies as a Year 12 student.

But this week the one question I most wanted to ask Sammy, who passed away last August when hit while crossing the road in Richmond, was who really deserved the 2016 Norm Smith Medal.

Sam’s legacy endures in a month where the league boasted of vast increases in female umpiring participation – including from diverse backgrounds – three years after his bombshell reporting on the toxic culture in officiating ranks.

Sam Landsberger was well on the way to journalism greatness. Picture: Rebecca Michael

Sam Landsberger was a passionate Bulldogs supporter, with legends like Chris Grant.

Great journalists change policies and Sam was on the way to being great.

But with the memory of his passion and historic recall as a Bulldogs tragic still so fresh in our minds, what did he think about that contentious Norm Smith call?

Was Jason Johannisen the rightful Norm Smith Medallist hitting targets with only 16 of his 25 kicks, with Champion Data rating him the 20th-best player on ground despite 865 metres gained?

Or the man with the perfect stat line in Marcus Bontempelli – 140 ranking points, 22 touches, 14 kicks at 100 per cent efficiency, seven tackles, six clearances and five hit-outs to advantage in the era where players could go third up in a marking contest?

Or Tom Boyd, who kicked one of his three goals after Dale Morris dragged down Lance Franklin despite his broken back as Brian Taylor roared “F***RRRRRRKKKKKKKK” from the commentary box.

On a day with so many heroes and narratives few Norm Smith voting calls have been as tough in the modern era.

Sam was convinced Tom Boyd should have been the Norm Smith medallist in 2016.

It shouldn’t surprise Sam had strong views that didn’t follow conventional wisdom.

“Sam and I were both of exactly the same opinion,” father and long-time Dogs doctor Jake Landsberger said on Thursday.

He said he will continue to shine a light on his son’s legacy and achievements.

“Straight after the game I met Sam in the rooms with (wife) Anne and without hesitation he said it was Tom Boyd. I nodded and said I couldn’t agree more. I even called Tom ‘Normie’ for a while afterwards. If he had kicked that last goal instead of a point …. Even Bruce McAvaney says in his commentary if he kicks a fourth, could he win the Norm Smith.

“As good as ‘JJ’ was, he hardly hit a target.”

Of course in the aftermath of a drought-breaking victory it is all splitting hairs in a game where Dogs fans laud Shane Biggs’ insane six-effort contest inside 40 seconds to set up Liam Picken’s goal with 7.07min on the clock.

Picken would end up fourth in Norm Smith voting (five votes), behind Johannisen (10), Josh Kennedy (eight) and Boyd (seven) in a game where Bontempelli didn’t get a single vote despite a ridiculous 28 Champion Data rating points, with daylight second then Kennedy on 23.8.

Chris Grant famously rebuffed Port Adelaide’s massive offer in 1996 in part because of an emotional letter from a fan who pledged 20 cents to help pay his deal.

Jake Landsberger says a similar $5 pledge when all seemed lost deep in Operation Fightback remains an indelible Footscray memory.

Sam Landsberger (right) with his close mate Nick Smart.

“I will never forget when a receptionist at work said a man wants three minutes of your time. He was a 96-year-old who said, ‘Where can I donate money to save the club?’

“I said Denis Galimberti is working at Slater and Gordon in Footscray and he is collecting funds,” he said.

“This man said I am 96 years old, can I give you the money for Denis? Tears welled up in his eyes and he said, ‘This is my life savings’. He had a suit on and reached into his jacket pocket and took out a $5 note and slammed it down on the desk.

“He said I have just taken it out of the bank, I will be buggered if I am going to let the club die before I do”.

Landsberger struck a deal with the fan – he would give $20 to the club’s fighting fund on his behalf if the man would keep his $5.

For the Landsberger family the heartbreak remains so fresh and yet weeks like this celebrating a football club so integral to all their lives provides a small and welcome distraction.

Originally published as Sam Landsberger’s father Jake Landsberger reflects on Footscray’s impact on his family