Captain Jobe Watson said they have had to restructure their preparation for the game, but only slightly.
""We'll have a couple of days off mid-week and refresh, but then plan as if we were playing again, with a training session on Friday and then recovery on the weekend,"" Watson said at Windy Hill on Monday.
""It looks like the final will be a Sunday game so we'll have a full week to prepare and have three or four decent training sessions before the game.""
Essendon will also utilise the bye to give more match fitness to Travis Colyer, Andrew Welsh and Cale Hooker in the VFL this weekend with the Bendigo Bombers.
All three played against the Power (Colyer started as the substitute and replaced Hooker), but have had injury-interrupted second halves of the season.
""It's important to get some fitness into those guys,"" Watson said.
Watson said a group of players will go to the Carlton and St Kilda game on Saturday night at the MCG to closely watch their opposition, but that the club wasn't content with a rise from 14th in 2010 to finalist in James Hird's first year in charge.
""They've been a very good side and are probably stiff not to get top four and the double chance. But hopefully them and the Saints go crash and bash on the weekend,"" Watson said.
""A few guys will go and watch the game, but you pretty much know how every team plays by this stage of the year, so you just go there and enjoy the game and what is going to come the next week.
""The players sat down pre-season and said we don't want to be an irrelevant side and we want to change perceptions about us.
