Like Sally - I've been doing some research on Austin and I'm not filled with hope. This is in a similar vein to the 2018 reviews he posted: https://sportress.wordpress.com/2018/07 ... ssion=true 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. I watched the Canberra - Warriors game (final one of the season) and he was anonymous apart from kicking out on the full and missing touch with a penalty so he should fit in well with us. The stand out player in that game was a certain Mr. Hiku. He is absolute class and I'd break the bank for him. I'll not be getting my hopes up too high just yet on Blake though. I've been disappointed too many times now. But I hope to be proven wrong.

Like Sally - I've been doing some research on Austin and I'm not filled with hope. This is in a similar vein to the 2018 reviews he posted: https://sportress.wordpress.com/2018/07 ... ssion=true 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. I watched the Canberra - Warriors game (final one of the season) and he was anonymous apart from kicking out on the full and missing touch with a penalty so he should fit in well with us. The stand out player in that game was a certain Mr. Hiku. He is absolute class and I'd break the bank for him. I'll not be getting my hopes up too high just yet on Blake though. I've been disappointed too many times now. But I hope to be proven wrong.

hmm....its a bit early to be giving him the 'Roberts' treatment. What worries me though, is the similarity with the story that the Aussie fans were saying about him before he came. From earlier in this thread: Quote sally cinnamon="sally cinnamon" I had a look at a Canberra Raiders forum, they are are few of his "season review" threads archived which make for interesting reading: 2015: https://www.thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30136 2016: https://www.thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31426 2017: https://thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32272 2018: https://thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33029 Doesn't sound like the greatest endorsement. One thing that worries me is there seemed to be a pattern that repeated at all three of his NRL clubs - he was sensational when he arrived, then gradually tailed off. '" He scored 14 tries in his first 13 games for us, but if you take his form from about June last year (which coincides with the team being garbage apart from the Challenge Cup) he hasn't had the same impact. I wonder if teams just get tape on him and work out how to shut him down.

hmm....its a bit early to be giving him the 'Roberts' treatment. What worries me though, is the similarity with the story that the Aussie fans were saying about him before he came. From earlier in this thread: Quote sally cinnamon="sally cinnamon" I had a look at a Canberra Raiders forum, they are are few of his "season review" threads archived which make for interesting reading: 2015: https://www.thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30136 2016: https://www.thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31426 2017: https://thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32272 2018: https://thegh.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33029 Doesn't sound like the greatest endorsement. One thing that worries me is there seemed to be a pattern that repeated at all three of his NRL clubs - he was sensational when he arrived, then gradually tailed off. '" He scored 14 tries in his first 13 games for us, but if you take his form from about June last year (which coincides with the team being garbage apart from the Challenge Cup) he hasn't had the same impact. I wonder if teams just get tape on him and work out how to shut him down.

12 months ago he was the greatest player ever to adorn the super league who , and i qoute was gonna "lead warrington to a domestic treble flowed by a world club title"........what went wrong ?

You'll be the first to know in 12 months

Austin plays well behind a dominant pack, last night th was far from it. Coops having to do the full 80 says it all. Austin has shown he can be a quality player and has a good defence. Show me any player in SL that plays out of their skin every game. Our negative 5 drives and a kick would make Jonathon thruston look bad. Price has to go for me, take Briers with him. Give Henderson a go until the end of the season and see what, if anything develops over in Australia, if nothing does then give McDermott an offer to come back to the UK. A proven winner with Leeds, Toronto May be winless atm, but have the most offloads in SL, and their rugby was much better to watch than ours last night. Nothing has to be better than watching the dross Price is serving up, he is making a team of good players look truly awful. There weren’t many plusses from last night. Ashton looked bright, yet naiave. Widdop a few short kicks. My new coat kept me warm.

With Hill back, Hughes and at some point maybe even that new Aussie fella who must be about as fit as a Pound Bakery obsessive there's your dominant pack.

With Widdop, Ratch and Clark keeping the opposition defence guessing, Austin should have all the time and space he needs. I'm waiting but with diminishing confidence.