There's a reason why SF winners hardly ever advanced to the grand final prior to the introduction of the pre-finals bye in 2016. The week off was a massive advantage, more so than home ground advantage.The winner of Qualifying finals advance to Preliminary Finals.
The fact they do not have to win a semi-final is an advantage. That does not change. The break itself is not the advantage or disadvantage of itself.
All finals systems have had teams advance to more important finals and skip other finals in past too.
The disadvantage is really only to footy fans having a week with no football.
That is why the pre-finals bye should go.
From the 32 QF winners between 2000 and 2015, only Fremantle (2015), Adelaide (2006), St Kilda (2005) and Sydney (2003) missed the grand final. That's 28 wins and 4 losses.
Since the introduction of the pre-finals bye, it is 4 wins and 6 losses for the QF winners. Hard to argue against that.