"It's a 21-game season. We've lost our first three games, but we can still go 18 and three, so we have to look at it like that," Melbourne told The Canberra Times.

On Sunday the Capitals face the Melbourne Boomers in Parkville, and they'll have to do so without their Opals star, who is still sidelined with a ligament tear to her right ankle suffered two games ago in Townsville.

Melbourne is one third of the Capitals leadership group alongside Brittany Smart and Alex Bunton, and the 20-year-old nicknamed an "Energizer bunny" by her teammates is doing everything she can to get back on the court as soon as possible.

"It's been really hard to watch from afar," she told The Canberra Times. "I'm not going to lie, it sucks.

"It's tough especially at this stage now where we haven't won a game, and I'm not able to be on court, or be training on the road with the team when we're in that real problem-solving phase to get that first win.

"But I'm in high spirits. I'm progressing really well and I should start jogging Monday, which is exciting.

"I'm pushing to be back for the Adelaide game [on November 30]."

When Melbourne does return for the Capitals, she'll be reluctantly making a new fashion statement in an ankle brace, possibly for the rest of the year.

Though she's anxious about playing again, Melbourne is taking the advice of Capitals medical staff and coach Kristen Veal, and won't push for a return too early to risk re-injury.

Without Melbourne starting for the first time this season the Capitals suffered a 35-point round two defeat to the Perth Lynx, giving their opponents their first win.

The schedule doesn't get much easier for the Capitals in the coming weeks either.

Following their clash with the Boomers, they have to travel to Adelaide and then get three-straight home games facing the Sydney Flames, Lauren Jackson's Southside Flyers and a re-match with the Lynx before another stretch on the road.

"Perth was not the result we wanted because we worked really hard this week at trying to get back to our schemes, and trying to re-establish our identity," Melbourne said.

"As harsh as it is, I don't think we took a step in the right direction [against Perth].

"I know a lot of the girls tried their heart out, but until we can buy in and execute some of our stuff, we might have more performances like that.

"But a good thing is I'm sure they would have re-grouped, talked about it and it's another opportunity to get better.

"We've got three or four sessions before we play Melbourne next week, so there's plenty of improvements to be made."

Melbourne believes the Capitals can make the necessary adjustments when they return to the capital to prepare for the "studs" in the Boomers, with a focus on getting off to better starts an obvious area that needs addressing.

"We have to take pride in our defence, we have to execute what Vealy and [assistant coach] Angus [Bourke] decide is the game plan, and then we have to just be patient on the offensive end," she said.

"We'll get better each day, and hopefully we can go into Melbourne and give them a red hot crack.

"There have been glimpses, it's just a matter of now piecing together 30 minutes, 35 minutes and then 40. So we're definitely working with that."

WNBL Round 3

Melbourne Boomers v Canberra Capitals

Melbourne Sports Centre Parkville, Sunday 3pm

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