Pre-Season Fixtures - Who has the advantage?

Because I don't pay that much attention to 'EVERYONE ELSE' during the pre-season, I was surprised to see Essendon and WC playing on Thursday night. I had assumed the pre-season went like this:

Week 1: Everyone plays
Week 2: Exhibition game formerly known as SoO
Week 3: Everyone plays.

I have since found out that it isn't like that at all and the 'first two weeks' are split rounds which just seems bananas.

Advantages/Disadvantages for teams:

1/. Ability to have full access to ALL players to work on roles, structures etc.

Counter to 1/. of course is sides that played in Round 2 were forced to get 'other players' into their tier one players roles to see how it might look in case the 'emergency break glass' button needed to be pressed.

2/. Continuity

Play a game - rest and review, work on changes in an intraclub THEN see how the tweaks look against a 'real' team in week 3.

Counter to 2/. Get the feel of how the group can make on the fly, week to week adjustments similar to the way they have to do during the season...test your teaching/learning strategies etc.

3/. Injury management

First game = SORE BOYS. 100/100. Having the week off allows everyone the chance to really rest, recover and get into it, fresh come r#1.

Counter to 3/. Well, it starts the treadmill of the season a bit earlier, gets everyone underway and gives them the week to week feeling pre-season...could be helpful in Round 2 of the real stuff...

I can think of 1000 more...

What does everyone think? Why didn't they just make it so the pre-season was 'the same' for everyone???