I'm not up with the gouge about Euro Fighter, Rafale, Gripen, but i think you can safely say it wouldn't matter how they stack up with the Super Hornet. The deal was struck because of the delivery schedule that boeing has guaranteed the RAAF. IMO
The problem started 10 years ago when the RAAF/Government continued to stretch the legs of the Pig believing that F-35 would magically be on time.
Some forward (and logical) thinking would have revealed that, like all fighter projects, the F-35 would be late. If the RAAF/Government had been realistic a decade ago, then the options could have been explored and the delivery timetable could have been more flexible.
Wiley.
Don't expect the Caribou to last more than 5 years. Once the yanks have finalised there light transport purchase expect us to follow suit. C-27 is looking like a reality early next decade.