CARLTON coach Brett Ratten says Brendan Fevola is a certainty and experienced defender Heath Scotland a likely starter for the Blues' round one match against Richmond at the MCG on Thursday night.

Ratten said Fevola's bruised heel had responded well to treatment.

"Fev is certainly in the team," Ratten said on Monday. "Try to keep Brendan out in front of 80 or 90,000 people; he'll be the first at the ground and the first player to run on probably.

"Scoto will probably be in the team."

Scotland played with the Northern Bullants on Friday night and the club has only to make a decision on whether he is fit enough to get through a game.

Ratten also said he did not expect former West Coast premiership teammates Chris Judd and Ben Cousins to play on each other.

"I think the build up at the start of the season is always big but I guess now with both Chris and Ben I think it will take more focus than any game for a long time," Ratten said.

"They'll cross paths but whether they'll play on each other, I don't think they will. Judd usually gets a tag so that will probably happen again."

Ratten said he had sent two assistant coaches to the Gold Coast to watch Richmond's final NAB Challenge match against the Brisbane Lions and they had been impressed by Cousins' form.

"He was very good when [Nathan] Foley went off injured. He went into the midfield and [provided] that real run and carry and his ball use was very good," Ratten said.

"He was back to getting closer to his best."

He also said the club had gleaned plenty of intelligence on Cousins from former Eagle's assistant coach Darren Harris, who is now at Carlton.

The Blues lost by 30-points to Richmond in round one last year but Ratten said the side was better prepared this season.

"It left a bitter taste. To be 30 points up [25 in the second term] and to lose by 30 is roughly a 10-goal turnaround. We learned a big lesson in making sure we don't take underdone players into the game," Ratten said.

Ratten said four possible debutants were under consideration; Mitch Robinson, Aaron Joseph, Chris Yarran and Jefferey Garlett.