CARLTON'S injury-hit back line offers Jordan Russell and Paul Bower an early chance to reignite their careers, coach Brett Ratten said on Monday.

The Blues will be without full-back Michael Jamison and first-choice defenders Jeremy Laidler and Nick Duigan when they take on Richmond in Thursday night's round one clash and Ratten called on the oft-injured pair to step up and fill the void. 

"I think it's going to give some players the opportunity to rekindle their careers with Russell down back and Bower as well," Ratten said from Visy Park.

"We spoke [to them] even at the start of pre-season … [and said] it's another season so they can really change perceptions, or change the landscape around them with regard to how they're perceived, with how they perform in 2012."

More to come