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Queensland are well on their way to Super Rugby Pacific finals after grinding out a 31-17 win against the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium.
A masterful display from halfback Tate McDermott did his Wallabies credentials zero harm, finding space at will and carving the Force open to set them on course for the important victory.
The visitors struck first but were then brushed aside in a three-try blitz and rarely looked like bridging the gap, although strong defence always kept them in the contest.
The Reds' win takes them to sixth on the table and they're more than a game clear of ninth in the race for the top eight with five games left before finals.
McDermott, not picked in Eddie Jones' first national team training camp squad, continued strong form and created two tries for Fraser McReight in a seven-minute stretch, smartly running from two quick taps to create space for the big flanker to power over the line.
Queensland's pack took control in all areas and forced penalties at will, their rolling maul also producing a try for hooker Matt Faessler late in the first half.
The Force returned serve with their own try from a sustained maul effort getting Michael Wells over in the second half before Queensland's George Blake marked his Reds debut with a strong effort from close range.
Zach Kibirige opened the game's scoring after capitalising on a poor Jordan Petaia handling error, while he picked off a Lynagh pass and took it home minutes from time for his eighth try of the campaign.
McReight was cruelly denied his first professional hat-trick, first by a forward pass that had put him through to score before the TMO pulled another one back for an obstruction.
Queensland's James O'Connor impressed at centre in the first half but was substituted at halftime due to an illness, Tom Lynagh entering the fray in his place and producing another composed display.
Discipline once again killed the Force, the competition's worst side for penalties per game conceding another 12 compared with the Reds' eight.
Handling errors also cost them a way back into the game in the second half, coughing the ball up a number of times in attacking positions.
