Canberra Capitals recruit Michelle Musselwhite may be still unpacking boxes at her new home, but coach Carrie Graf said her arrival signalled the start of a new era for the WNBL club.
''Goosebumps'', ''scarily good'' and ''new championship era'' were just a few of the phrases Graf used to describe her new line-up.
Musselwhite arrived in Canberra on Monday morning after finishing her season with South East Australian Basketball League club the Ballarat Lady Miners last weekend.
Just hours after opening the door to her new home in Melba, the 26-year-old began working with Graf on building a new Capitals' dynasty.
''She's exciting,'' Graf said of Musselwhite. ''She can shoot the ball outrageously well, [she's] a great athlete, she's 26 and isn't anywhere near her peak.
''Those are the things you start to get goosebumps about and you go, 'Wow, this is going to be a special team again'.
''We've been special a lot but I think there's a fresh excitement about the Canberra Capitals [this season].''
For the first time in eight seasons, the Capitals will have four weeks training together before the start of their bid for a sixth title.
In past seasons the Capitals have had just two or three training sessions to gel together and Graf said this year's extra training and bonding time would help propel her team to 2008-09 success.
''Signing them is one thing, getting to work with them, see them in the flesh, see how they blend with the rest of the team and watching them grow into the players they can be ... that's when I get goosebumps talking about it,'' she said.
''With four weeks under our belt as a charge into the season, that's scary ... scarily good. We can really punch into that start of the season which normally we haven't done.
''We've been a little slow getting started sometimes and this is exciting.''
Musselwhite signed with the Capitals in April and has dominated for the Lady Miners, finishing with four SEABL Player of the Week awards and is favourite to take out the season's Most Valuable Player.
Capitals teammate Nat Hurst has also shown she is ready to step up for the Canberra team with three SEABL Player of the Week awards.
But Musselwhite won't be resting on her recent good form going into her eighth WNBL season.
''I've had a good season [in the SEABL], but it's a different level [the WNBL],'' Musselwhite said.
''Hopefully I can keep my form coming into the season and there's a lot of hard work between now and when the season starts.
''I suppose this is a new challenge for me after five years under the same coach.
''About three months ago when I was here I was working on my shooting style with Graffy. Nothing major but just getting it fluent.''
Graf hopes to have her full Capitals squad gathered for a pre-season training session on September 1.
While the draw hasn't been released, the season is expected to start in the first weekend in October.
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