RICHMOND does not have the luxury of resting players in the final round, although it would probably benefit more than most.

Eleven Tigers have played every game this season, three more than Fremantle, which has declared its intention to rest up to 11 players who played on Sunday ahead of their home qualifying final.

That's the luxury that comes with being six points clear on the top of the ladder with one game to go (something all Richmond fans know is partly their club's fault).

And it's all within the rules.

West Coast, North Melbourne and Adelaide each have seven players to have played every game (the Crows have played one match fewer in 2015, but 19 players have played the past four games), the Sydney Swans six, Hawthorn three and the Western Bulldogs just two.

The opportunity to rest might be a huge advantage because if you count the number of minutes played over the season, then the number of players per club to have played more than 2000 minutes in 2015 is relatively even.

Richmond has 13 players to have played 2000 minutes or more, West Coast 12, Sydney Swans 11, North Melbourne 10, Fremantle and Adelaide nine, Hawthorn eight and the Western Bulldogs seven.

Number of minutes played is the most obvious measure when assessing who might be wilting, but it's just one of the criteria clubs will examine in determining whom to rest.

An experienced AFL conditioning coach told AFL.com.au most players at most clubs would be trailing off to some extent on objective measures, so there would be some art required to determine who needed a break most.

He said clubs were likely to examine GPS data, determining the number of kilometres each player had covered, as well as the time spent at top speed when they were at their best compared to how they were tracking now.

Clubs would also examine wellness data that is collected weekly to identify individuals who might benefit from a break, and take into account any niggling injuries that might improve if given a week away.

However, in the end, he said the biggest benefit of a break might be to virtually eliminate the risk of a key player being injured ahead of the first week of the finals.

On that risk basis alone, the Dockers would potentially take the chance to give Aaron Sandilands (21 games and 2074 minutes) a break, along with David Mundy (21, 2029), Stephen Hill (21, 2109) and Matthew Pavlich (20, 2030).

They already have Nat Fyfe and Hayden Ballantyne on the sidelines and Michael Walters missed last week's game, so there is some risk attached to resting players, given if the Dockers win in week one of the finals some players will only have played one game in four weeks.

But given the amount of travel teams from the west do, it is a risk worth taking.

Star Dockers Aaron Sandilands and Matthew Pavlich are among those set to be rested. Picture: AFL Media

Of course, Fremantle is the only team with the absolute luxury of knowing its place on the ladder can't change regardless of the result. It makes their decision a bit clearer.

West Coast should beat St Kilda, Hawthorn should account for Carlton, the Sydney Swans should down Gold Coast but, with some justification, 'should' is not a word coaches like.

Hawthorn will still be a live chance of finishing second when it plays next Saturday, while the Sydney Swans might know whether fourth place is signed up.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon knows how close presumption about results came to biting him on the bum in 2013 but he also knows the week's rest helped the Dockers make the Grand Final that year (they included 10 players in the first final that did not play the week before).

So the other teams will need to be more selective in deciding whom to rest.

Or do they risk it in the hope their next team can get the job done, setting them up for the Grand Final?

Matt Priddis might benefit, with his disposal per game average dropping in the past month (29.8 for season to 27.0 in the past four weeks) as would Hawks defenders Josh Gibson and Brian Lake, who have similarly won less of the ball in recent weeks.

Veteran Swans Adam Goodes, Ted Richards and Heath Grundy have bounced back in the past month and may benefit from the continuity.

The Western Bulldogs might see value in giving Matthew Boyd and a few youngsters a rest but they will need to tread carefully because no result can be taken for granted.

The Dockers jumped out of the blocks and earned the right to manage their list.

They have made a logical decision. Whether it works or not remains to be seen. 

Stats provided by Champion Data

Dockers to have played more than 2000 minutes in 2015

Garrick Ibbotson
Lee Spurr
Stephen Hill
Cameron Sutcliffe
Aaron Sandilands
Chris Mayne
Matthew Pavlich
David Mundy
Luke McPharlin

Top eight in season 2015

Top eight in the past month