GOOD FRIDAY seems certain to become a part of next year's AFL draw, with the once-sacrosanct space on the football calendar likely to be filled by Carlton and Hawthorn.

In a massive historic and cultural shift, a Good Friday twilight game between the Blues and the Hawks would be played at the MCG after a joint submission by the two clubs that has received the unofficial support of AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick.

The AFL executive in charge of the 2008 draw, Gillon McLachlan, said Carlton and Hawthorn had put forward a compelling case to play football on Good Friday, adding: "I don't have the concerns with Good Friday that others have historically held.

"The clubs are all looking for special events and these two have some creative ideas about linking the game with the Royal Children's Hospital Appeal. Ultimately, though, it will be a decision for the commission."

McLachlan met several days ago with Channel Ten's sport chief David White and the two were believed to have discussed the Good Friday proposal enthusiastically.

Channel Seven, the AFL's other free-to-air partner, would be likely to televise the Thursday night clash before Good Friday, which next season would be the season-opener. Round one, given its Easter timetable, then would be played over five consecutive days, starting on Thursday and finishing on Easter Monday.

Significantly, Hawthorn is believed to have resolved its role in the Good Friday proposal with club legend and former AFL chairman John Kennedy, a famous opponent of Good Friday football. Although Kennedy remains opposed to the concept, he is believed to have told his old club he would not stand in its way.

The late Ron Evans promised Kennedy he would not schedule a game on Good Friday during his tenure as AFL commissioner but Fitzpatrick, who is believed to have been canvassed by Blues chief executive Greg Swann, feels no historic constraint.

But the AFL was bracing itself yesterday for several disputes as a result of its Good Friday plans - not least from Geelong and St Kilda, whose chiefs two years ago approached AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou to put forward a plea for an Easter clash between the Cats and the Saints. Those clubs ultimately were rejected because of the commission's stand back then.

The move also would infuriate the Seven Network, which is embroiled in a dispute with the AFL over last week's drug revelations and the station's subsequent legal battle against a suppression order.

Seven's Good Friday Appeal would clash with Channel Ten's telecast and Seven in the past has put forward Good Friday football proposals unsuccessfully to the AFL.

In another significant move, The Age believes the AFL's intensive love affair with twilight football also could lead to a twilight preliminary final during this year's finals series. McLachlan said a Saturday twilight preliminary final between two teams from different states could improve the issue of the 24-hour advantage between the Friday night and Saturday night games, given that a late-afternoon game could allow a travelling team to fly home on the Saturday night.

Demetriou also said yesterday the prospect of a twilight grand final remained on his agenda. "The public opposition to a night grand final was significantly different to that of a twilight grand final," he said.

Demetriou said he remained a Good Friday football opponent but hinted that his concerns with the cultural change would be overridden by the commission. "The commission in the past has been opposed to Good Friday but I understand there maybe is a different shift in the thinking of the commission.

"I don't think the views of the past are shared today. There is a small but important section of the community which is opposed to Good Friday. I'm sympathetic with them and I actually think we've got something special with Easter Thursday. But I'm increasingly in the minority."

Carlton, which would be the home team on 2008 Good Friday, and Hawthorn have applied to make their Easter clash an annual AFL event, arguing that most other football and sporting codes schedule games on Good Friday, along with cinemas and other entertainment venues now opening for business.