Yes, Keg, that bit in the Australian article did seem a bit odd, the way he put it - as if it was a risky thing to do that the others may have balked at. I think it might just be poetic licence to make it sound more exciting - you know, 'there I was, having to use my superior piloting skills to save the day' in the nick of time kind of thing.
I'm not an airline pilot so I can't comment on standard procedures in the big jets, but your comment about control checks being normal is reassuring.
Better to find out about controllability issues with a bit of altitude under you than on late finals as you slow through a critical speed for the aircraft's abnormal state!