After three decades of campaigning, North Melbourne have been granted their wish for a Good Friday game with the fixture finally green-lighted by the AFL.
The AFL on Tuesday confirmed the Kangaroos would host premiers the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on April 14 next year in the inaugural holiday clash.
The round four game will kick off at 4.20pm so as not to interfere with religious services, bringing to fruition a long-held desire for the club.
"We're absolutely thrilled by the announcement," North CEO Carl Dilena said.
"It's a tribute to this club's track record of innovation and a credit to all the great North people like Bob Ansett, Ron Casey and Greg Miller, who initially proposed this game in the late 80s and early 90s."
The AFL Commission in 2014 gave the ok for a match to be played on Good Friday but until now hasn't scheduled a fixture for the day.
For years the governing body knocked back the Roos' request to play on the day.
It left rugby league with the advantage as the sport's top competition has allowed games to be played on Good Friday since 1993.
"The decision to now schedule a match was made on the basis that our society has changed in recent decades and the majority of football fans, who are our ultimate decision-makers, share the view of our clubs who have expressed their wish to play on this day," AFL general manager of clubs and operations Travis Auld said.
The league indicated the fixture may be alternated across clubs in years to come and the fixture could be taken out of Victoria.
The AFL's full 2017 schedule is expected to be released later this week.
