Jon Ralph says North Melbourne’s poor form in 2017, has given the AFL a conundrum in whether to keep rewarding them with the prized Good Friday encounter.
The Roos took on the Western Bulldogs in last year’s inaugural game at Etihad Stadium, which the Dogs won by three points, in front of over 42,000 fans.
However, the Herald Sun journalist says St Kilda are making a push to try and become involved in the fixture, and he feels the current matchup is not a "really sellable property".
“If St Kilda as we hear are pushing hard to replace the Bulldogs and North Melbourne, I think it’s an interesting little conundrum for the AFL,” Ralph said on SEN’s The Run Home.
“Right now the Western Bulldogs versus North Melbourne is not a really sellable property.
“If the AFL are going to say for Friday night football, that’s their marquee slot, you need to play great, pyrotechnic, exciting football, I think there’s a good case to be said that, look North Melbourne are a long way off that.
With the 2018 fixture release only eight days away, Ralph is fascinated which way the league will go with the fixture, believing other clubs could help raise more money for the Good Friday Appeal.
“The question is do you reward them because they asked for it for a long time, do you reward them because they haven’t got a marquee slot?” he asked.
“All I would say right now is the AFL wants to maximise the amount of dollars that it is going to raise for the Good Friday Appeal, and of course the Royal Children’s Hospital.
“I’m not sure North Melbourne playing in that timeslot helps, so it will be fascinating.”