EVERY year there are questions raised about the length of the season. Are there too many games? Do the fans become disinterested in matches involving non-finalists? Will fatigue be a factor in finals after a long season?

With all teams given two byes this year, players and football staff have been able to take a couple of short breaks during the season.

But the game itself is more intense and demanding than ever before, and arguably even more so with the introduction of the substitute.

So how have clubs adapted to the demands of modern football in terms of the management of their players?

There has been a clear increase in players used across this season compared to previous years, for a number of reasons.

As in most years, the Players Used figure roughly reflects the ladder positions. Collingwood have used the fewest players with 33 this year, followed by Hawthorn and West Coast with 34, with other finalists Geelong, Essendon and Sydney close behind with 35.

Recently both Geelong and Collingwood have made no secret of actively resting players in the lead up to the finals. In previous years this had been a bit of a taboo subject, with clubs not keen on flirting with form.

And with the final eight settled coming into the final home and away round, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the likes of Hawthorn and Geelong giving some players a weekend off to freshen up for the finals series.

Will this become common practice for most sides in coming years?

Obviously there are teams who haven’t had the luxury of giving players a week off. Sides like Fremantle (38 players used) and Brisbane (39) have been hit hard by injuries, while the Gold Coast (45) have used this year to introduce young players to the game while carefully managing their season.

The Demons have used 39 players this year, with seven listed players making their senior debut. The club has used 38 players or more each season since 2007, with developing players given a lot of exposure to senior football.

The past few years have been a great opportunity to blood as many players as possible, with 28 players making their debut since 2008. And with clubs having to call on the majority of their squad going forward, this should hold us in good stead for next season and beyond.

The substitute will also increase the figures a little. Melbourne used both Sam Blease and Daniel Nicholson as substitutes in their debut game - a perfect way to introduce them to the senior team.

Since the 2000 season, the Brisbane Lions of 2001 are the only side to win the premiership with 35 players used across the year. 2008 Grand Finalists Geelong and Hawthorn used only 31 players each that season.

The likes of Geelong, Carlton and St.Kilda would have to break with tradition by using 35 or more players and going on to win the premiership this year.

With the game changing so rapidly in recent years we could see every team using more than 35 players in coming seasons, with the Pies and the Cats starting a trend of resting important personnel while giving young players a taste of the elite level.

Obviously injuries are a key factor as well. A bad run of luck with injury can derail your season, so having a short casualty list is one of the most important parts of a successful year.

Looking forward to the first ever match at Adelaide Oval this weekend.

Hopefully we can finish the season with a win.