Yes, because they are (as a whole). There is currently a proliferation of actual combat sports (UFC etc) that did not exist 30 years ago.
No you miss my point.
The AFL is a sport where men, physically compete against other men, using both legal and legitimized violence (tackling, bumping) or condoned violence (assaults on the football field are not prosecuted like they would be on the street), against other men, in order to win a trophy.
I mean yeah, they're not literal Roman gladiators trying to stab each other to death, but the underlying themes (man, using legitimized violence and physical prowess, to defeat another man, for a trophy) is still there, and is still glorified just as much is it not?
Tackling isn't violence.
noun
1.
behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.