A startling W-League season injury report will prompt Professional Footballers Australia to fight for improved conditions for Australia’s best female footballers.

The number of matches missed in the 2015-16 due to injury more than doubled on the previous campaign, with knee complaints the chief culprit and all but three W-League sides losing players to long-term knee injuries.

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PFA executive and Matildas all-time record goalscorer Kathryn Gill said it was time for the introduction of minimum medical standards, similar to the A-League.

“The evidence from the A-League is clear that on-field performance is strongly related to the efficient management of injuries,” she said. “Clubs which do more to assist their players reap the benefit. The incidence of knee injuries is extremely concerning. This requires further examination and must be a priority ahead of next season.”

Considering all but two of the Matildas’ World Cup and Olympic qualification squads played in the W-League season, a failure to redress the situation could hinder the progress of the national team, now ranked fifth in the world.

The basic standards that PFA are seeking include having a dedicated sports physician at every club, and a physiotherapist available at every training and match. The union also wants players to undergo a pre-season medical test and have the right to second opinions and the surgeon of their choice.

Sydney FC’s Amy Harrison, a teenage talent who made her Matildas debut last year, suffered a season-ending knee injury in December, ruling her out of selection in the Olympic qualifying matches. She threw her support behind the PFA campaign.

“They would have a big impact in the W-League and help keep the best players on the pitch rather than on the sideline,” she said. “Injuries are an unfortunate reality of sport but as a player you want to know that every possible precaution has been taken.”