ESSENDON has decided not to apply for a licence to field a team in next season's inaugural AFL national women's league.

But the Bombers haven't ruled out trying to get involved in future years.

“We have every intention to be part of the competition in the near future,” chief executive Xavier Campbell said.

“Our current priority is building a strong foundation of female engagement and participation as well as elite development pathways in the north-west region of Melbourne.

“We will continue to invest in grassroots football and work closely with the Calder Cannons to deliver a broader program that can align with our next generation and development academies,” he said.

The Bombers have established a steering committee, led by club director and former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay, that will focus on developing a diversity strategy with particular emphasis on building a women’s team framework.

“We are committed to providing women with an equal opportunity to play elite Australian Football, encouraging young women to choose the AFL as their sport of choice and unearthing role models within women’s sport more broadly in Australia,” Campbell said.

“This decision (not to apply) was not taken lightly, but we firmly believe it will provide the club with the best possible foundation for future years in the national women’s league competition.”

Essendon has been an industry leader for women in football, with Beverly Knight joining the board as the first female club director in 1992 and the establishment of the Essendon Women’s Network and Football Woman of the Year Award.