FOOTY or faith?
Usually he doesn't have to choose between the two but St Joseph's parish priest Father John Fitzgerald has picked the team he'll be on this Easter - Christian faith.
The NRL does it, the AFL has so far resisted pressure to do it but Good Friday football looks like it could get a guernsey in the south-west if a proposal by two clubs is approved by the WDFNL.
The proposal, which would see Old Collegians and Merrivale clash on April 2, has angered some keen footy fans and looks set to divide loyalties in the community but Father Fitzgerald has called on Christians to vote with their feet.
"I hope people have enough respect and faith for Good Friday to remain a sacred day when you can commemorate the death of Christ," he said. "Our Christian feasts have been eroding for some time now because our nation is becoming more secular.
"I very much enjoy football, I love sport, but I'm not supporting or encouraging the way our nation is going. But it will be very difficult to stop."
A decision on the proposal, which will also include junior and senior netball matches, is yet to be made by the WDFNL, which has scheduled first-round matches for the season on Easter Saturday.
One Christian who will be voting with his feet is Terry McInerney, who said the suggestion of playing football on Good Friday was "offensive".
As the father of Merrivale footballers Luke and Nathan, Mr McInerney said he wouldn’t tell anyone what to do but he would be “disappointed” if players made themselves available on the day.
“I’m not a great church-goer but I do believe in and observe the day,” he said.
“Whether people go to church or not, our culture and heritage is based on Christian beliefs and I get very annoyed at the erosion of everything good in Australia.
“I can live without (football) for a day.”
Despite years of similar proposals by clubs, the AFL has resisted scheduling matches on Good Friday. However, it has acknowledged a shift in public opinion in favour of playing football on the day.
Those who desperately need a footy fix will have to change codes for the day, with the NRL premier Melbourne Storm to host St George Illawarra in a round four clash at Docklands.
The NRL has played games in the northern states on Good Friday for several years.
Old Collegians president Ashley Porra said while he would rather not play on Good Friday it made sense to make the most of the holiday if matches were to be played on the Saturday.
“We haven’t set it in stone but we’d like to do it,” he said.
“I’d personally rather not play football on Good Friday. I see it as a time for family, one of the last family holidays before Christmas.
“But if the league wants to play footy over the Easter period then it should include Good Friday.”
Mr Porra said he didn’t believe playing on the sacred day was disrespectful to Christians and thought the game would be a good community event.
“It’s not a disregard of Good Friday,” he said.
“I just feel a lot of people are sitting around twiddling their thumbs (on Friday). They might go to church and then will just be waiting around to play on Saturday.
“If we are the only people playing on Good Friday we’re obviously going to get a crowd but this can be a benefit to the community because we’ll have the tins rattling for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.”
Far from being outraged at the proposal, Father Fitzgerald said he accepted it as an “inevitable” shift in values.
“I remember Sunday was once sacred. All we did was the family meal and church,” he said. “But we know that’s no more now. People have to work and Sunday sport has taken over.
“The sacred days of Easter have been eroding for some time. Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday have already been eroded by work and by sport.
“Easter is seen by many not as a Christian feast but as holiday time, but for religious people it’s really important that they vote with their feet.”
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