Hurst arrived back in the capital last weekend after a stellar winter season with the Launceston Tornadoes which saw her earn a second consecutive selection in the All-South East Australian Basketball League women's team.

She averaged 21.3 points and 6.5 assists per game and was the Player of the Week three times.

But with the WNBL draw released on Monday, Hurst said her focus was now on helping the Capitals regain to champion status.

The Canberra team won consecutive titles in 2005-06 and 2006-07 before any hope of a third came to an abrupt holt earlier this year.

''There's no doubt that we wanted to make it a three-peat last season,'' Hurst said.

''But I think maybe a little bit of complacency crept in and that's what we need to get rid of.

''We still have a good core group and we just need to return to the values that we had when we were champions.''

The Capitals open their 2008-09 campaign with a double-header Victorian road trip against Bendigo and Bulleen on October 4 and 5.

They play the first of 10 home games against Sydney Uni at the AIS arena on October 10 and do not meet last year's champions Adelaide until round nine.

The team will play seven pre-season matches from the start of September and despite coach Carrie Graf being in China, the players have been training three times a week.

''I've never been involved with a Caps team that hasn't had a championship feeling about it, and this year is no different,'' Hurst said.This season the Capitals play six of their nine home games at Tuggeranong and captain Kellie Abrams said the intimate environment suited her team.

''Overall the draw is really good for us,'' she said.

Abrams said she could not pick one team to be the competition's benchmark.

The skipper missed the end of last season with an ankle injury and despite being more than a month away from the WNBL opener, there was an energy in the team for success.

''Last year we did a lot of talking [about success], but there wasn't a lot of action.

''It's one thing to say it, but you have to believe it and stack it up on the court.

''We haven't even played a game yet and you can still feel that energy in the team.''