You want your non-playing pros to have match time & fitness. Its been used as a path back from injury in the past. Only travel preventing it right now.
NL playoffs each year will be in a Sept-October time slot from memory.
As A League moves to a winter season next year, it will likely be March-September or similar.
And yes you want your fringe or returning injured players to get some football if not required for the first team squad, but from next year it will likely have to be CL.