As a reluctant and occasional watcher of AFL (QLD'er) I can say that the comparison to AFL has no value. The rules of AFL impose many constraints on the tackler

As a reluctant and occasional watcher of AFL (QLD'er) I can say that the comparison to AFL has no value. The rules of AFL impose many constraints on the tackler and the pay-off amounts to less than the turnover of possession in soccer. The best comparison to US football would be Rugby League which favours more 'hard hits' than the more internationally renowned Rugby Union. I've yet to see studies compare the results but my impression is that the League player suffer significantly less brain injuries during their professional careers.