Goriss knows the smallest player on the Southside Flyers' roster is also the biggest threat to his team's hopes of upsetting the league leaders on Thursday night.

The Capitals saw firsthand how destructive the diminutive point guard was when she helped guide Canberra to a drought-breaking title last season.

Now she has taken her golden touch to new franchise the Flyers, who are unbeaten after their first six games.

So when Goriss jokes Mitchell is a "pain in the arse", he's referring to the headache he's had this week in trying to devise a plan to curb the 34-year-old's impact.

"That's why we recruited her in the first place," Goriss laughed.

"I've got a lot of respect for her as a person and player. She's a winner - she makes big shots, she makes big plays and she makes everyone around her better.

"She's proven that everywhere she's been, so we've got some areas we've got to try to limit her in. But that's easier said than done.

"And with the Flyers, you can't just cut the head off the dog. They've got talent all the way through that can hurt you."

The Capitals will start a brutal two-game road trip with a clash against the top-ranked Flyers before backing up with a match against the second-placed Melbourne Boomers on Saturday.

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It's a crucial moment in the Capitals' season, despite being only a handful of rounds into their championship defence.

Two wins would make a major statement about their title credentials. Two losses puts them out of touch with the leaders and back with a back of teams chasing.

The Flyers, who have taken over the Dandenong Rangers licence, boast a team full of talent.

WNBA point guard Mitchell, for example, is only fifth on the team's average points this season with 14.7 per game. Above her are Jenna O'Hea, Sara Blicavs, Rebecca Coles and Mercedes Russell.

The Capitals have just three players who are averaging double-figure points per game this season and will go into the game as underdogs, but they're confident of making their mark.

French import Olivia Epoupa and Maddi Rocci, who was Mitchell's understudy last year, will have the job of shutting down the Flyers' star guard.

"We're coming up against two teams who were both undefeated until Monday night. This is a huge game for us," said Marianna Tolo.

"No one is unbeatable. If we play the way we can, we can get [the Flyers]. They have dangerous players in each position, led by Leilani. We've got high-quality players as well and can defend when we're focused for the game."

The road trip double will be the last matches before a two-week break for international duties, with Goriss and Tolo to join the Opals for a pre-Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Malaysia.

The Capitals have three wins from five games so far and lost when they met the Boomers in Melbourne three weeks ago.

"The dreaded 'c' word is consistency and we haven't had that so far this season," Goriss said.

"We've been good in patches and stuck to the game plan, but going up against two really good teams is a true test. You don't want to fall too far behind the pack because the league has such a high quality."

WNBL ROUND FIVE

Thursday: Southside Flyers v Canberra Capitals at Dandenong Stadium, 7.30pm.

Saturday: Melbourne Boomers v Canberra Capitals at State Basketball Centre, 7.30pm.