It's time to get into those winter sports. The Australian Rules, rugby and netball seasons have just begun. Playing can be fun, but it can also be quite easy to get hurt.

NETBALL COMMENTATOR: And it's a knee and she's in a lot of trouble

A new study has looked at which sports are responsible for the most serious injuries. Guess which game tops the list for sending the most players to hospital. AFL - Australian Rules Football.

JOSH, AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL PLAYER: Got concussion clashing heads last year and ended up in hospital.

Josh is not alone. Each year about four thousand Australian Rules players end up in hospital with sporting injuries. And it's not just Aussie Rules. More than 45 thousand people go to hospital with sporting injuries each year. And one person out of every three injured is under the age of 15.

So is AFL really the most dangerous sport?

Actually no. The huge number of injuries compared to other sports is largely due to the huge numbers of people frequently playing Australian Rules.

The sport participants are most likely to be injured in happens to be wheeled motor racing, those involving cars and bikes. Followed by roller sports, like skateboarding and roller blading. Australian Rules comes in third and then equestrian.

JOSH, AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALLER: I've been playing Aussie Rules since I was eight and really for the amount of games I've played there's not a whole heap of injuries..

KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: How do your parents respond when you get injured?

JOSH, AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALLER: Mum's a bit of worry wort.

Some parents and players do get a bit worried and it has seen the rise of other sports which have less physical contact, such as soccer.

KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: What would be the most popular sport in the school?

DANIEL LEES, SCHOOL SPORTS COORDINATOR: Soccer has definitely taken over from Australian rules football.

But research shows soccer still accounts for a number of injuries.

ANTHONY, SOCCER PLAYER: I've sprained both my ankles at a younger age. My right groin, I've done last year and my driver.

KATHERINE, SOCCER PLAYER. Most people would probably say Australian Rules Football is more dangerous, but soccer can be pretty dangerous, mostly because it can be pretty rough sometimes with tackles. Even just not stretching properly after the game and before the game, you can get your teeth broken, noses, I've seen it happen.

KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: So why would anyone want to play the sport?

KATHERINE, SOCCER PLAYER. Because it's fun, it's fun to play and it's good to get fit and go out and meet people.

And that's the message Government and health professionals want to get across. Doctor's say the health benefits of playing sport far outweigh the negatives from risking injury.

And the Federal Government has launched this new advert to try and get more kids taking up sport. With a couch like this, it would certainly be safer to head outdoors for some exercise.

And we're doing a survey on your sports injuries. If you'd like to take part, head to our website at