i) It is better to finish top of the ladder than finish 2nd. You get favours like an extra day in the 1st week of the finals and you avoid Hawthorn 1st up.
Ii) Unless both WA teams either both win, or both lose, their QFs, there will in all likelihood be a Derby PF.
iii) Unless both WA teams lose their QFs, neither have to travel in the finals until the GF.
iv) Regardless of where they finish on the ladder (or where or who they play), if Hawthorn win their QF, they don't have to travel interstate for the rest of the finals.
v) WCE are no more guaranteed of winning against Adelaide than Freo are against Port.
So please stop with the WCE "juggernaut", Freo to finish 3rd or other negative crap because none of it is going to happen.