Investment is needed to improve Canberra’s “embarrassing” stadium facilities before their NRLW team debuts, says Raiders’ chief executive Don Furner.

Such is the situation at GIO Stadium, says Furner, players would have to get changed outside the stadium if multiple grades are played on the same day when the women’s team is in action.

It comes after continued inaction on either a redevelopment of the suburban GIO Stadium or a new facility being built, potentially in Canberra’s city.

“It’s going to be embarrassing,” Furner said.

“Opposition NRLW teams will see it, they’ll have to get changed outside the ground.

“They’ll see the changing room facilities at all the other stadia and it makes it harder for us to sign players.

“You play at Parramatta Stadium, Townsville Stadium, the new Allianz (Stadium), they have wonderful changerooms … and separate changerooms – that’s not available out there.”

Even without the NRLW side coming, Furner stressed the need for an upgrade and said Canberrans deserved a better stadium, particularly to guard against the elements.

“It’s a tough ask sitting out there in those conditions, we’re playing in a very inferior stadium,” he said.

“It only has about 15 per cent of the seats undercover, we’re asking people to pay that money to sit out in the rain.

“I just think the government can’t keep asking the people of Canberra to go out and support their two most high-profile sporting teams in a stadium that is vastly inferior to the rest of the competition.

“Our fans sit through the toughest conditions in the NRL, we’ve got the hottest and the coldest – we’ve got the coldest stadium without cover.”