HAWTHORN'S decision to rest eight stars for its trip to the Gold Coast this weekend is probably very smart.

There's some chance it is foolish.

It will be hailed as one or the other at around 10.30pm next Friday night, after the Hawks have either beaten or lost to Geelong.

With tomorrow's result inconsequential, the Hawthorn brainstrust entered this week with a firm focus on the qualifying final.

"The biggest consideration for us is, 'how do we get a large group of players ready to go for the AFL finals series?'" Hawthorn football operations manager Mark Evans said on Tuesday.

They've acted accordingly at the selection table.

The Hawks now know for certain - barring some sort of freak mishap at training or while sipping green tea - that they'll have Max Bailey, Grant Birchall, Lance Franklin, Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis, Brad Sewell, Cyril Rioli and Shaun Burgoyne rested and ready to face the Cats.

They're safe from the clutches of injury and the demerit-point wielding Match Review Panel.

The opposition, which has selected the strongest side possible for its clash with Collingwood tonight, can't say the same for its key players.

The fixturing of the final was also at the forefront of the Hawks' thinking.

They face the challenge of a six-day break, with a plane trip thrown in.

In doing what he has, coach Alastair Clarkson now has the opportunity to get a close look at the contenders for finals spots on a level playing field.

He won't have to weigh AFL form against Box Hill form.

From the 22 set to take on the Suns, perhaps only five - Sam Mitchell, Josh Gibson, David Hale, Liam Shiels and Brent Guerra - would feel absolutely assured of being out there next Friday night.

Of the remainder, some are quite safe, and others need a big performance. A couple are being primed as back-ups only.

Eight of them will make way next week.

Then there's the risk. The Hawks have won seven straight, and flirting with form might be dangerous.

What if the eight guns come back rusty from a weekend with their feet up?

Franklin and Rioli both publicly stated a preference in the last fortnight to keep playing if they can to maintain touch.

Geelong's stars will get a last, finals-like hit-out against the ladder leaders tonight; Hawthorn's will have to make do with, presumably, a solid training run.

The jury is still out on whether a week off has been a help or hindrance in the following match this season.

Since round 14, seven teams have won after their bye, and seven have lost.

Importantly, the results - save for the Sydney Swans' upset of the Cats last weekend - have gone to form.

Top eight teams have come back strongly, bottom eight teams have picked up where they left off too.

Perhaps the Hawks looked to their finals experience of last year in deciding on their approach.

They smashed a half-strength Fremantle team by 116-points in Tasmania in round 21.

Two weeks later, with some tired and sore players wearing brown and gold, a faster and fresher-looking Freo triumphed by five goals.

That's exactly the sort of edge Hawthorn will hope to gain over the Cats.