ESSENDON will continue to rotate players through the NAB Cup with Dustin Fletcher and Andrew Lovett to be rested from Friday night's semi-final clash with Collingwood.

The Bombers are set to be without the two key players as Matthew Knights continues to keep his eye firmly on round one of the home and away season.

"We've discussed this already; Fletcher won't play this week, he'll have a break, and also Andrew Lovett won't play," he said on Tuesday at Windy Hill.

"He's played an extra game, having played in the Indigenous game against Adelaide, so we've taken their loads into account.

"All the other guys are pretty keen to play, knowing that in between our last NAB Cup game and our first round against Port Adelaide, there's some 16 days.

"All the guys apart from those two will play, if they're fit enough to play."

Knights said Brent Stanton will come into the side if he gets through Tuesday's training session, while other players are pushing for selection after strong showings in the VFL.

"Stanton has to clear some hurdles today with some kicking with his quad," Knights said.

"There's another couple of guys [in contention] … Bachar Houli played quite well last week in the VFL and just had to focus on a few areas of his game.

"David Zaharakis played quite well so those two guys will come into contention and we'll finalise our 26 today after the training session."

Young defenders Michael Hurley and Tayte Pears have "come into the equation" after overcoming injury, with Hurley recovering from an operation to remove his gall bladder and Pears from a hip problem.

Knights said the NAB Cup substitute rule strengthened the case for the emerging pair.

"Hurley and Pears are basically ready to play some game time this week; it's just whether they've done enough to come into a senior game," he said.

"With the substitute and the 26, it gives you a lot more flexibility, so it certainly does bring them into the equation.

"We played Darcy [Daniher] last week as a substitute off limited prep, and he came in and played 40 minutes, which was fantastic.

"Tayte and Michael have both come into the equation this week, which is another great sign for Essendon fans that those two big boys are coming back."

Knights said he supports the idea of a variation of the substitute rule being introduced into the season proper.

"I do like it. I would like to keep the interchange the same with four and I would go with one substitute," he said.

"Then there would have to be real clarity on injury, if that substitute was to be used.

"I wouldn't like a scenario where a player got taken off through injury, the substitute came on and then that player played again next week.

"We'd have to make sure it was done in the right manner, but if it was done in the right manner and regulated properly, it is a pretty good concept."

Dream Team watch – Dustin Fletcher is rated a $274,400 defender in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.