Geelong coach Chris Scott has no concerns another week off could hurt his side's AFL premiership chances.
The Cats will be spectators in semi-final week after advancing directly to a preliminary final with a heart-stopping six-point win - 11.12 (78) to 10.12 (72) - over Collingwood on Saturday.
They will take on either Melbourne or Brisbane on September 16 or 17 for a place in the season decider.
Scott doesn't have a preference whether Geelong play on the Friday or Saturday.
And he is not bothered by the fact the Cats will have just one game under their belts in almost four weeks leading into their preliminary final, factoring in the controversial pre-finals bye.
"I've just got so much faith in the people that are charged with that responsibility (of laying out the fitness program)," Scott told reporters.
"A lot of thought's gone into the possibility that this might happen, so they're just ready to roll out the plan that was forecast."
Scott did predict changes to the usual program as Geelong look to maintain a good level of intensity at the business end of the season.
"We'll do it differently to the last fortnight, for the simple reason that the players will need a little more volume than what they've had playing a little less footy," Scott said.
"Without detailing exactly how we're going to go about it, we'll get some work into them.
"We have a group of players that are certainly not afraid of hard work.
"It's nice to get a couple of days to decompress, including for the coaches, and then get back and attack it and look forward to some hard work.
"We certainly won't be wrapping them in cotton wool."
Geelong captain Joel Selwood also backed the club's fitness staff to lay out a suitable program and said they had worked wonders with the veterans on the Cats' list this season.
Selwood is one of several experienced players who have been managed at stages throughout the year to have them cherry ripe for September.
"To be honest, the body's feeling really good," Selwood said.
"That was the plan throughout the year - to manage it so that it would be feeling good at this time of year.
"We've got a healthy list at the moment and (Jake) Kolodjashnij is probably the only worry at the moment."
Defender Kolodjashnij's knee injury requires further assessment in the coming days after he was substituted out before halftime against Collingwood.
