WOMEN'S AFL trailblazer Melbourne is preparing for the long-term as it makes a bid for a team in the new national women's league.

Considered certainties to secure a licence, although "not taking it for granted" according to chief executive Peter Jackson, the Demons are already thinking about how the new competition will look years down the track.

"I think the AFL's position in women's football is largely because of what Melbourne and the Bulldogs have done to grow the game," Jackson told AFL.com.au this week.

"I think the investment's going to grow over the next few years.

"The aim is to have a national competition, I think, of 18 teams by 2020.

"And I don't know how quickly we're going to progress towards that, probably as quickly as the talent comes along to make the product really good.

"The plan has to be to gear that up over the years towards 2020."

Daisy Pearce, one of women's footy's most recognisable stars, is among those working on the Demons' bid.

"The bid is due on the 29th of April, we're meeting the conditions that are in the bid document, we've got a lot of people on it," Jackson said.

"We're confident we'll get a licence but we're certainly not taking it for granted."

But a cautious Jackson poured cold water on the theory sponsors are knocking down doors to get involved.

"I don't know if they're lining up, I think they're interested to see what we do," he explained. 

"Women (are) obviously 50 per cent of the population and, as we like to think, 81 per cent of the buying decisions are made by women, so sponsors are going to be interested in being able to connect with women.

"I think there's a lot of companies out there looking, but I don't know if they're lining up, they're not knocking on the door frantically trying to get involved."

The AFL is expected to confirm successful bidders for the new league in May or June.

The inaugural eight-team competition is expected to debut in late January 2017.