The 2008 Murdoch state by-election was a by-election held on 23 February 2008 for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Murdoch in the southern suburbs of Perth. The by-election was triggered by the death of Liberal member Trevor Sprigg on 17 January 2008. Sprigg had held the seat since the 2005 state election. A former football star with East Fremantle Football Club, he was a popular local member, and served in Parliament as the Opposition Whip in the Legislative Assembly. On 17 January 2008, while returning from the Gold Coast to attend a Liberal leadership vote, Sprigg died of a heart attack aged 61. The leadership vote produced a victory for Troy Buswell, and members were to learn of Sprigg's death only after the vote had been taken.