Bitterly disappointed Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon will seek answers from the AFL over his club's Good Friday blockbuster snub.
The league announced the fixture for the 2018 season on Tuesday, which confirmed the Bulldogs have been dropped in favour of St Kilda for the high-profile clash against North Melbourne.
In the inaugural Good Friday match played this season, the Dogs defeated North by three points in a thrilling encounter at Etihad Stadium in front of 42,814 fans.
"The club's board, and its entire staff who worked so hard on the 2017 game, were disappointed to learn that the Bulldogs would not be involved in the game next year," Gordon said in a statement released on Tuesday.
"The board will seek a meeting with AFL commissioners to understand whether there was any shortcoming in the Bulldogs' 2017 support for or participation in the game, or any principle of competitive balance or fixturing, which provides an explanation for the AFL's decision."
The inaugural clash was a boon for the Good Friday Appeal that benefits Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.
AFL fixture boss Travis Auld congratulated both clubs for their efforts this year but added the league never guaranteed either of them a permanent role in the lucrative match.
"We made it clear that we wouldn't lock in two teams and we've been true to our word there," Auld said.
"North Melbourne have ended up with the opportunity for the second year in a row ... they did a really good job with it.
"The Bulldogs did as well but they'e got a lot of other things in their fixture, which made it difficult to get them back on Good Friday.
"So it's a balance.
"St Kilda have been keen for some time and now they've got their opportunity. They'll need to commit to not only the game but also the broader (concept)."
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan echoed those sentiments but didn't rule out handing ownership of the blockbuster to two clubs in the future.
"We didn't make a commitment to lock in a game and I think it's fair to give other teams a crack at it," he said.
"I think we'll do that for a while and it may be that in a couple of years we might want to settle on two teams, but I think it's fair to swap it around."
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