The principal of Emmanuel College in Victoria has declared that Good Friday should be preserved as a holy day, in response to news that Old Collegians and Merrivale were proposing to play a game of football on Good Friday this year.

The match would be held a day before the Warrnambool and District Football Netball League (WDFNL) has scheduled first-round matches for the 2010 season, The Warrnambool Standard reports.

“It should be kept as a holy day,” College principal Philip Morison said. “That’s a personal belief.”

Mr Morison warned that a game could overtake the real meaning of Good Friday if it was scheduled every year.

“You’d have to be cautious,” he said.

“I do ask myself why the need is there (to hold a Good Friday match), given the round is starting on Easter Saturday anyway. The fact is, the AFL hasn’t gone down that path.”