The American has been working closely with James as a goalkeeper coach at United this season, but will stand in for the talented 18-year-old while she nurses a finger injury.

Jones helped Canberra United to their last W-League championship in 2014, saving a penalty in a pulsating 3-1 win over Perth - the club she played for a season earlier.

She retired from professional soccer in 2016 but has been called upon by coach Vicki Linton, with back-up keeper Keeley Richards also carrying a minor knee injury.

"We've just had a couple of niggles so we're very lucky to be able to have Chantel, our goalkeeper coach who is still in a position where we can use her, sign her and then utilise her as an injury replacement," Linton said.

"She brings a lot of experience and knowledge, she's still in good nick. It's actually really surprising she's in such good nick because she hasn't been training as a player.

"She does a lot of goalkeeper coaching so I think that really helps. Goalkeeper coaches have to do a lot of work, they're always serving, jumping in and demonstrating, she does that when she's coaching with us as well."

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United is out to maintain their unbeaten start to the season in the first of two matches in seven days against Perth.

And they'll have another opponent to deal with on Sunday, in the shape of a 38 degree weather forecast.

"It's just about preparing them in my opinion, tactically and from a football conditioning wise, making them as good as they can for that," Linton said.

"We obviously talk to them about nutrition, hydration, rest and recovery. That's all we can do without extraneous things to prepare for heat."