WAtoday football writer Kim Hagdorn has received the prestigious George Grljusich Award for excellence across all mediums after breaking the stunning news on Radio 6PR that Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell was contemplating a move from Hawthorn to the West Coast Eagles.
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Hagdorn broke a string of strong yarns in 2016, including Peter Sumich leaving the Dockers (and later not re-joining the Eagles) and the fact Nic Naitanui would require mid-season surgery on both his ankles. But none was bigger than Mitchell's trade from the Hawks to the Eagles.
Originally mentioned on Radio 6PR's Sports Today program on the night of October 11, the potential for a shock switch was confirmed by Mitchell himself the next morning and later became a reality with the shift of a late draft pick from West Coast to Hawthorn.
The scoop saw Hagdorn receive both the Grljusich Award (across radio, TV, print and online) and Dirk Buchanan best radio news story at the WA Football Media Awards on Tuesday night.
"There could really only be one," WA Football Media Guild president Basil Zempilas said on Radio 6PR's Breakfast show on Wednesday morning, noting the magnitude of Hagdorn's news.
Another WAtoday columnist Brad Hardie was also among the award-winners, recognised as the Brien Thirley best expert radio commentator.
Judges noted the 1985 Brownlow medallist could often be heard "predicting an outcome before it happened."
Fairfax Media's Andrew Elstermann won the umpiring media award for an opinion piece in the Bunbury Mail and Collie Mail about respecting umpires during grand final week. The piece so impressed the local umpiring ranks that it ended up being laminated and turned into a placemat at the South West Football League Umpires Association's awards night.
Radio 6PR's Adam Papalia was named best radio commentator for his "consistent and considered style", while 6PR was also rewarded for "most outstanding use of social media" by the team of Steve Allen, Jake Battrick, Ben Cameron and Frizz Ferguson.
Luke Shuey was named West Coast's player of the year and Lachie Neale was both Fremantle's player and WA's AFL player of the year.
The night concluded with a special tribute to retiring commentary legend Dennis Cometti with the room standing to applaud his outstanding 45 year career.
