Former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse rates Richmond a big chance to break their AFL losing streak against Carlton.

The Tigers will be outsiders when they open the regular season on Thursday night in their now-traditional blockbuster against the Blues at the MCG.

Richmond have had an encouraging pre-season and the re-signing of coach Damien Hardwick earlier this month is a major boost to morale.

But they have lost the past seven matches against their arch-rivals.

Richmond’s last win over Carlton was in round one, 2008.

Carlton will go into the game missing five of their best 22 through injury – ruckman Robbie Warnock, forward Andrew Walker and defenders Michael Jamison, Nick Duigan and Jeremy Laidler.

Malthouse said the absence of the three defenders would be particularly concerning for the Blues.

“If Richmond are going to win that game … it’s got to be this time,” Malthouse said on Channel Seven’s Game Day.

“They have the form and Carlton’s backline has been hit hard.

“It doesn’t matter – you can always have first-choice players out, but when it’s first, second and third backline players, they’re very hard to replace.

“That chemistry is so important to them.”