Recent Blues draftees Lachlan Cowan and Oliver Hollands will make their AFL debuts in Carlton's annual season opener against Richmond on Thursday night.

The pair were told they would be turning out for their boyhood club on Monday during a team meeting at Princes Park.

Both Cowan and Hollands became Blues during the first 30 selections of the 2022 AFL Draft, with the Tasmanian half-back and Murray Bushrangers winger brought in to fill needs in Michael Voss' roster.

Hollands was taken with Carlton's opening selection, pick 11, before the Blues traded up to land Cowan with the 30th pick.

With Zac Williams' ACL tear ruling him out for the entirety of the 2023 season, Cowan will earn his chance in the former Giants' absence, likely spending time alongside his childhood idol Sam Docherty.

For Hollands, a place on the opposite wing to former Docker Blake Acres will give Blues fans a new set of arc-to-arc conduits to inspect, with Lochie O'Brien, Matthew Cottrell and Jack Newnes each spending time on a wing during Carlton's heartbreaking Round 23 loss to Collingwood last season.

Cowan and Hollands both featured during Carlton's pair of pre-season hitouts, impressing Voss with dash, dare, scoreboard impact and physicality against Collingwood and Sydney.

The Blues and Tigers will do battle before what promises to be a jam-packed MCG crowd on Thursday, with the opening bounce of the anticipated clash scheduled for 7:20pm (AEDT).