The 24-year-old, who does track work full-time for Lindsey Smith and races for Tony Rosolini's stable, injured his left knee in Dennington's round 13 defeat to Kolora-Noorat.

Rantall, who has had four wins this jumps season, said his knee collapsed inwards after an awkward tackle in the first quarter of the 194-point defeat.

The talented jockey, who was playing football to help his fitness, said he had suffered a number of injuries to his knee including a grade one MCL tear, bone bruising, a partial meniscus tear and moderate medial capsule rupture.

Doctors originally told Rantall he would require surgery but Racing Victoria Chief Medical Officer Gary Zimmerman said he could avoid it.

"I got a second opinion off Gary Zimmerman and he's thinking that it's not smart while I'm racing because the way surgery works is they screw the tendon back to bone," he said.

"If I fall when I'm racing I'm going to bugger it up. It does require it but we'll try and avoid it and just go with a physio approach."

Rantall will spend the next three weeks in an immobilization brace before starting physiotherapy.

He said it was disappointing his racing and football seasons were cut short but vowed to work hard on his return.

"Obviously shattered about it but I've had a really good season, my best season yet, and I feel as though I'm still young and hungry," he said.

I'll focus my time on getting my body 100 per cent right and come back bigger and better next season.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly podcast The Main Break:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:

"I'll watch what I'm eating and I'm going to try and do as much exercise as I can. I'll do my physio then start going back to boxing and doing upper body with Rudy (Ryan at Rudy's Boxing).

"I'll keep my head down, work hard and we'll try to get back in saddle as soon as possible."

As for his football career, Rantall's boots have been hung up for the time being.

"My partner (Ellie) told me that is it (for footy) until I finish racing so I'll happily take a job as a runner or water boy as it is a great club to be involved in and I don't want to lose that," he said.

"I don't want to lose the club culture as they are a good group of lads.

"If I can't play I'll hopefully get a job as the time keeper or doing the water or running or something like that, I would like to still be involved."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.