Despite the AFL's league-wide warning about resting mass players ahead of finals, it seems clubs will be willing to risk potential fines to best prepare their squads for a premiership tilt.
With the top 10 locked in with a round remaining, every finals-qualified side will be weighing up the pros and cons of who to play for Round 24, and who to give an extra week's break.
Do minor premiers Fremantle risk messing with its form by resting key players for the Dockers' trip to Melbourne?
How does Collingwood balance bringing back some injured guns, while managing the workload of its stars?
Should Carlton sit back and rest its key players for Wildcard Round, or do the Blues need to win so they can stay in Melbourne?
These are the decisions the finals-bound coaches must make ahead of an intriguing Round 24.
Fremantle
The 2015 edition of the Dockers under then-coach Ross Lyon tested the limits of resting players in the final round when the team managed 11 for a meaningless game against Port Adelaide after the club had already secured the minor premiership.
Fremantle is in a similar position in 2026, but current coach Justin Longmuir has said previously he doesn't want to mess with his team too much in the lead-up to finals.
The Dockers have been managing their players in matches by limiting game time to stars such as Hayden Young, Luke Jackson and Josh Treacy.
The club has also rested Shai Bolton and Alex Pearce for fixtures recently as Freo tried a rolling system of managing players in the latter parts of the season.
With top spot sewn up and a flight to Melbourne to play Carlton on the cards, should Fremantle rest a banged-up Treacy (ribs), ruck Jackson or even Pearce again after his knee copped a big knock last Friday night against Adelaide?
