Stephanie Convery, Emma Kemp and Melissa Davey of Guardian Australia have won the 2022 Grant Hattam Quill for Investigative Journalism for their work “The gaping hole in sport’s concussion policies”.

Judges' citation

This was exemplary investigative journalism. When the AFL announced that a prominent concussion expert had stepped down over plagiarism claims three journalists from the Guardian started to dig. They didn’t stop until they’d broken a hugely consequential story, triggering a cascade of further inquiries and an apology from the AFL to players impacted by his research.

The winning entry

The AFL, the concussion doctor and the groundbreaking brain study that never appeared, Guardian Australia

AFL to launch review of concussion expert Paul McCrory’s work following plagiarism claims, Guardian Australia

AFL apologises to players in concussion study after review finds it produced no published research, Guardian Australia

Highly commended

Josie Taylor and Matilda Marozzi, ABC News, “Victoria Police officers weaponising database to target women” (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3)

Shortlisted

Kate McClymont and Thea Dikeos, 60 Minutes and The Age, “The Price of Hope”

Nick McKenzie, Amelia Ballinger and Joel Tozer, 60 Minutes, “Trafficked” (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3)