Emotions will be riding high at Odsal tonight with a host of high-profile Super League personalities preparing to make their farewells.

Defeat for Leeds Rhinos in the Grand Final series sudden-death semi-final will bring to a close the playing career of former Great Britain stalwart Daryl Powell and send Australia-bound Adrian Morley and assistant coach Damian McGrath off to pastures new.

Unless the Bulls win through to the final eliminator, coach Matthew Elliott can start packing his bags for Canberra and outgoing forwards David Barnhill (Leeds) and David Boyle (Bulls) will also be able to contemplate a return home to Australia if the result goes the wrong way.

While Morley has a new career with Sydney City to look forward to, the 35-year-old Powell will hang up his boots for good at the end of the play-offs and take up a new role as Leeds Academy coach.

Powell, who began his career at Sheffield Eagles 16 years ago and had a spell at Keighley before joining Leeds in 1998, is hoping to supplement his remarkable tally of 442 first-team games with an eighth appearance at Old Trafford on October 14.

"They'd like to send him out on the crest of a wave," said McGrath. "He's had such a great career and had such a big influence at Leeds, although he is still staying in a coaching capacity.

"I think it's just starting to hit some of the players that their friends might not be here after the game and the players realise themselves that it might be their last hurrah."

McGrath, brother of Bradford-based Yorkshire cricketer Anthony McGrath, is also severing his links with the Headingley club after serving as number two to three successive head coaches.

Assistant to England boss John Kear for the forthcoming World Cup, McGrath has been offered the job of national Under-21 coach but has not ruled out following such luminaries as Phil Larder, Ellery Hanley and Joe Lydon into rugby union.

"I have come to a grinding halt," explained the former schoolteacher. "I learned such a lot under Dean Bell and Graham Murray but this year I seem to have stalled.

"I could have sat in the comfort zone and stayed as assistant coach forever but I feel as though I am ready for a new challenge, hopefully in rugby league."