Melbourne fans celebrate the semi-final win over Hawthorn in 2018. Picture: AFL Photos

MELBOURNE has set itself the lofty goal of rising from second-last to the top as part of an ambitious strategic plan that outlines its targets for the next four seasons.

The Demons want an AFL and an AFLW flag by 2023, as well as to play in finals for each of the next four years, as part of the vision released to the public on Monday night.

It comes after a disastrous 2019 season for the club, where a summer plagued by injury resulted in a horror on-field campaign where the men's team slipped to 17th on the ladder and managed just five wins all year.

 

That followed the club qualifying for its first finals appearance in 12 years the season prior.

Its women's team also missed the finals last season, finishing second-last in a tough Conference A in the AFLW.

The strategic plan also includes a host of off-field targets, including beginning construction on a new home base after several years of attempting to find a suitable location for the new facility.

 

The club also plans to record a $4 million combined profit over the next four years, as well as raising average home MCG attendances to over 50,000 people and increasing its membership base to more than 75,000 people.

Melbourne won its last flag in 1964 and is now the club with the longest premiership drought in the AFL.