WNBL: Canberra Capitals reveal fresh recruitment strategy for success next year

On Saturday the Capitals will put a bookend on their disappointing season by taking on the Perth Lynx, hoping to add one more win to their two victories.

A loss will see them equal their worst-ever seasons on record - two-win years in 1998 and 2015-16.

Veal has admitted after a season like this, the squad will be facing a serious shake-up, with a number of players to depart, and active recruitment to commence soon.

The Capitals can approach overseas talent not signed to the WNBL - including international league players and college youngsters - but cannot yet have any talks with current WNBL players on other teams until two weeks after the season concludes.

At this stage all but two players are locked in for next year.

"We're starting to sit down and talk about who we want back and starting those conversations with players too," Veal told The Canberra Times.

"All we've got signed at the moment into contracts for one more year are Tahlia Tupaea and Alex Bunton.

"They're two solid pieces of the puzzle and there'll be other movements next week.

"But we'll wait a little bit just to see what happens in free agency and where we have positions for and how we need to fill them.

"The development player spots will be the last to be filled."

Jade Melbourne is another "invaluable" puzzle piece the Capitals are hopeful of retaining and the Opals guard herself confirmed her intention to remain with Canberra.

In addition to Melbourne, Capitals general manager Lucille Bailie wants Shaneice Swain and Bec Pizzey to also re-commit.

Key to their recruitment strategy will be finding players that "fit" the team's vision for next season, and winning more games is an obvious goal.

While the Capitals have been hampered by a never-ending nightmare of injury setbacks to almost their entire squad this season, they entered round one with few experienced players.

Then when those veterans inevitably faced injury hurdles, the younger group - that included some new Capitals - understandably struggled to carry the load.

Coming into the role, as a former Capitals star herself, Veal began with ambitions for a slow build towards results, but the nature of modern women's basketball has given players more options than ever to seek out different opportunities, making assembling a win-now team a more realistic approach.

"Knowing this isn't going to be the same group is sad, knowing that we're going to recruit players that make us better is exciting, and the whole process going back and forth is unknown," Veal explained, shrugging on the last point.

This Saturday, like most weeks, Veal must deal with more selection headaches due to injuries.

Bunton was a late omission from last week's game against the Boomers, Nicole Munger suffered a concussion and Chloe Tugliach learned of a torn patella diagnosis early this week which ends her season.

Veal was relieved however that Munger passed her concussion test on Tuesday and is likely to be cleared to play in their season finale.

"Nicole got knocked on the temple, so there's some emotional response that comes from that, headaches and sensitivity," the coach said.

"She was feeling pretty rubbish during the game, had a bit of memory loss.

"But for us now it's hoping the symptoms stay under control or subside, and then she'll get cleared for the game."

Canberra Capitals v Perth Lynx - Saturday 5.30pm, National Convention Centre

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