North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will fight tooth and nail for the premiership points on Good Friday but they're united in their goal of securing the future of the blockbuster game.
The AFL have scheduled a match on the religious holiday for the first time in 2017.
The league chose the Kangaroos and the Bulldogs to play the inaugural Good Friday game, which is expected to become a lucrative fixture for the competing teams.
But the AFL hasn't guaranteed North and the Dogs will continue to be those teams beyond this year.
"The club's been pushing for Good Friday for 30 years now so it's great that we've been able to get it," North midfielder Nathan Hrovat said on Tuesday.
"Hopefully we can make the game our own along with the Bulldogs.
"Typically we don't play big blockbuster games, so I think if we can make the game our own it gives us a good opportunity to put on a show and support the Royal Children's Hospital and the Good Friday Appeal (at the same time)."
The Roos are desperate for a win after three losses to start the season while the Bulldogs suffered a shock defeat to Fremantle in their last start.
Dogs veteran Matthew Boyd said getting the win was clearly his side's main focus but agreed it was also important that the teams put on a good show.
"It's obviously the first time that the AFL has decided to play footy on Good Friday and we're really privileged and honoured to be one of the sides that gets to pioneer that game," Boyd said.
"The way that North Melbourne have been playing of late ... I think they've been playing really good footy and they've been unlucky not to win a couple of games.
"I think that if both sides show up and put in a good performance it's going to be a great game.
"Who wouldn't want to watch a great game of footy on Good Friday?"
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