Canberra Capitals react to WNBL decision over 'weird' confrontation between rival coaches Angus Bourke and Sydney Flames' Shane Heal

Assistant Capitals coach Angus Bourke was visibly upset after a verbal exchange during a handshake with Heal following the Flames' 81-70 win over Canberra last week.

In the aftermath of the incident, which the Capitals described as "inappropriate", the team reported the matter to the WNBL for further investigation.

However, the league's review panel found on Friday that there was "insufficient evidence to issue a notice of unsportsmanlike behaviour against Shane Heal".

"That's the ruling, so we'll now move on," head coach Kristen Veal told The Canberra Times.

Veal witnessed the incident unfold but said the team was keen to leave it in the past.

"It was a weird interaction between Shane and I - it was different to normal - and then he made a bit of a bee-line for Angus, but I didn't hear what was said," Veal recalled.

"[Angus] was a bit rattled after the game, but also, he's fine.

"He's a grown-up and been in difficult situations before, and I thought he handled himself really well after the game. I'm proud of him."

The Capitals are focusing their energy on starting the new year on a winning note, with a vulnerable Townsville Fire in their sights on Saturday.

The Fire will arrive in Canberra just two days after copping a heavy loss in Adelaide, and Veal warned the Capitals are a very different team to the one that suffered a 36-point loss to Townsville in round one two months ago.

"If it is not really, really different, you will find me in a deep hole somewhere on Sunday morning," Veal joked.

"They had their full squad that game, came out of the blocks blazing and shot unbelievably in that first quarter, while we didn't play well and Jade [Melbourne] went down.

"If it's not vastly different from that, then I'd be disappointed.

"But the work our girls have done, the soul-searching we've done, commitment to the task and getting better to produce our best basketball hasn't changed.

"So I'd hope we get better reward for that."

WNBL veteran Alison Schwagmeyer-Belger is geared up for a larger role against Townsville after playing just two minutes against Sydney.

And this time she will be wearing her preferred jersey number too.

"Numbers didn't used to matter to me too much," she said.

"But my sister Angie passed away in 2014 and we used to play together. We were a year apart and she was number 32, which is why I wear number 32.

"So it's super significant to me now.

"Every time I put my jersey on and I see her number on my chest, it makes me feel like she's there with me."

Canberra Capitals v Townsville Fire

Saturday January 7, 2023 - 5.30pm at the National Convention Centre Canberra

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: