When we signed Austin I did some digging around to see NRL fans views and posted the links on the Wire thread talking about his signing, further down the thread ChiswickWire did the same
Quote: Man of Steel contender "He basically is a good runner but a one trick pony when you read the sidestep. Doesn't have a creative passing or kicking game and is a poor defensive reader, who is best used as an impact player against tiring defence.'"
Which turned out to be pretty accurate!
I think he was overhyped when we signed him, he was pumped up in the press as a game changer who would elevate us to the next level, he was talked of as "Man of Steel contender" before he'd even started, and when he started off scoring tries all over the place in his first couple of months the pundits loved him. On our forum there were threads discussing whether he was our best overseas signing of the SL era etc.
After that hot start he never hit the same heights again and overall if he hadn't had that start he would probably be regarded in the tier of high profile overseas signings that disappointed. Still, he seemed to embrace playing for the club and making a go of building a career here, he wasn't constantly looking for an exit route back to the NRL like some have in the past.
I don't think he's a bad player, he's a fine athlete and has talent he is just a bit limited and after those first couple of months SL teams seemed to work out how to negate his best assets. If he's being brought in to play a particular role, rather than being the man the team is built around, he might be more effective at Leeds than Wire. We had a similar situation with Myler who was pretty good for us over a long period of time but some fans were disappointed in him because he was signed as the long term replacement to Briers, and he was never that type of player.