Samu Kerevi crashed over for two tries in the first 20 minutes, electrifying the crowd with a silky right foot step and following it up with and an Inspector Gadget stretch over the line.

A five-minute defensive lapse was all it took to turn a six-point advantage into an eight-point deficit thanks to half back Tj Perenara and Callum Gibbins and Beauden Barrett's boot.

Fifty-four minutes in Reds fullback Lachie Turner overcooked a penalty kick sending it over the dead ball line.

Two scrums later, Wellington took the ball deep into their attack and Reds flanker Liam Gill was sent to the sin bin.

In a seven-man scrum, the Reds held their own but simple turnovers undid their hard work.

It's the Jekyll and Hyde that has been the marker of the Queensland Reds this season and it was true again as they fell to the Hurricanes, 35-19.

There were flashes of promise and brilliance undone by a basic fumble or an ill-disciplined breakdown penalty.

Against the top of the table Hurricanes, simple errors were pounced upon by Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, who were unstoppable as the game went on.

Reds coach Richard Graham said it was those small errors that cost them, pointing to the Turner kick as a pivotal moment in the match.

"It's not a criticism of Lachie because I thought he kicked exceptionally well for touch but we missed that penalty and then they go scrum, and we're down to 14 men," he said.

"That period before half time they shipped two tries on us and that 10 minutes where we were down to 14 men, they shipped two tries into us.

Graham said he expected a period where the Hurricanes would stack on points but was disappointed that the scores came from the Reds' own errors.

"Leading into the game...you understand there's probably going to be a moment in the game where they just go nuts and they score a couple of quick tries.but what's important is that you don't contribute to that.

"Probably the thing was that on just a couple of occasions tonight we contributed to it."

Reds captain James Slipper, bearing the wounds of a turbulent season that has taken its toll, lamented the momentum-sapping period where the Hurricanes crossed over and snatched the advantage from the home side.

Slipper said the side's effort wasn't lacking but against the Hurricanes, those basic mistakes would be thwarted more often than most.

"I think this week was a better effort," he said.

"You've got to realise we're up against the Hurricanes who are on the top of the ladder and in those circumstances if you give them turnovers, you give them penalties they will punish you and that's what they did."

Kerevi was a rare bright spot, with his two five-pointers and a strong running display putting him among the best of the Reds against an All-Blacks centres pairing of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

"He's definitely a handful at the line," he said.

"Certainly, when he comes off his outside foot and comes back with the inside shoulder (he's dangerous).

James O'Connor's day ended early after he was substituted with concussion by the match day doctor.

Queensland has a week off to contemplate their eighth loss of the season before facing the Crusaders in Canterbury.

Karmichael Hunt (adductor) is set to return for that game but the health of the rest of the Reds' injured contingent will be assessed this week.