The Canberra Capitals are in the dark over when Lauren Jackson may be back in action after another injury setback scuppered a planned return to the court this week.
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Jackson was training well and on track to play against Townsville at AIS Arena this Sunday before experiencing swelling on her troublesome knee, and coach Carrie Graf admitted it was not clear when she will play again.
The 33-year-old had her fifth operation in 10 months in early November to remove loose cartilage, while hip surgery ruled her out of the Australian Opals world championship campaign.
Jackson signed a three-season deal with Canberra worth $1 million, but is yet to play a single game after missing all of last season.
Further surgery has been ruled out, but Graf was non-committal when asked if the club was still confident that Jackson would play this season, after the Capitals were initially confident she'd be back on deck before Christmas.
"I'll have more for you when we know, I honestly don't know," Graf said.
"If I knew more I'd tell you, it could be Adelaide-Perth [road trip next week], we don't know.
"She saw the surgeon last Friday. The game we hoped she'd be back for won't happen.
"[There'll be] no more surgery, it was just to drain some fluid, the knee wasn't responding to the load of training."
She said Capitals and medical officials would meet this week for a more detailed prognosis and to map out a new plan of attack.
"We've got meetings later this week to get a firmed up new plan on what the best return date for Lauren," Graf said.
The news was harder to take for Jackson given she had ticked all the boxes at training, and had shown strong signs she was capable of returning to her best.
"This was a game she was on track to play," Graf said.
"She practised with us [last] Tuesday night for 45 minutes, she looked great and moved well, but there was a fair bit of swelling on her knee the next.
"She practised in the half court, one on one, she moved well and scored well, the knee just didn't respond as well as we hoped."
Graf said Jackson was growing frustrated at the continued setbacks, but said she was dealing well with it mentally.
"We haven't got her, the national coach [Opals coach Brendan Joyce] is concerned when he's going to have her, but it's actually not about that," Graf said.
"It's about a high-performing athlete who can't do what she wants to do through injury. She's doing everything she can and is so desperate to come back.
"Lauren doesn't want to let anyone down, but it's not about letting people down. It's about an athlete getting back on the floor when she's healthy to, and find her the best program to do that.
"Lauren doesn't want to be sitting on the sideline, next to a physio or in the rehab room. It's not what they get paid to do and it's not her desire.
"It's frustrating, but she's in a good head space in terms of handling that."
Jackson's continued absence is a blow for Canberra, as the ladder-leading Fire's front court of Suzy Batkovic and Cayla Francis is the best in the league.
Graf said the fifth-placed Capitals needed to win at least two of their last three games before Christmas to keep alive their teetering playoff hopes.
"If we can win two of our last three games before Christmas and stay on the edge of the top four, that's not a bad place to be," Graf said.
"In fact it's a must, we can't afford to drop more than one.
"Townsville is a big ask. We're undermanned with injury and they're clearly the [championship] favourite this year."
SUNDAY
WNBL: Canberra Capitals v Townsville Fire at AIS Arena, 3pm
Tickets available from Ticketek.
