A qualified independent party would be appointed to assist with the review process, the board said. Such a person could be a retired judge - for example, former Supreme Court judge Bernard Teague was the chief judge for the awards until 2019 - or a retired journalist with no perceived conflicts of interest.

The board pledged to involve McClure in the review process.

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“The Melbourne Press Club acknowledges these are serious and complex issues for all parties,” it said.

“It respects the opinion of members who have shared their view on the matter. The club will respond to correspondence over the coming days and communicate broadly to all stakeholders following resolution of the matter.”

The Age’s editor, Gay Alcorn, said the press club “deserves credit for its willingness to listen to concerns and to announce an independent review of the board’s earlier decision. The Age has only ever requested a fair process”.

Press club sources, who declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak publicly, said several board members were not at the meeting that decided to annul the award, including press club president and Age journalist Nick McKenzie, Herald Sun and News Corp journalist Ashley Argoon, ABC reporter Ashlynne McGhee, and media lawyers Justin Quill and Patrick Considine.

Two recused themselves from voting due to potential conflicts of interest: Age journalist Rachael Dexter and Jude Donnelly, the AFL’s head of corporate social responsibility and community.

The only other News Corp board member, Tom Salom, an editorial business manager, put forward the motion to review the award. He did not recuse himself from board deliberations.

Award runner-up, Herald Sun reporter Michael Warner, was given the prize once it was stripped from McClure.