GPS number eight Gavin Murphy scored a hat trick as the Gallopers overcame Wests 41-12 at Yoku Road in Round 16 of the Strategic Airlines Queensland Premier Rugby competition.

Wests were hampered by the loss of flyhalf Masa Faatoe before kick-off and things didn't get much better once the game started with Murphy bagging two of his tries within the first ten minutes.

The first came from a GPS lineout near the attacking 22-metre line where GPS were able to complete the pushover with Murphy scoring. The second was almost identical, the only difference was that the lineout and pushover occurred in the right corner rather than the left.

Despite the early setbacks Wests fought hard, showing great intensity and some physicality at the breakdown. However, they couldn't contain GPS openside flanker Mogi Wei when he had the ball in his hands. Wei made several strong runs which lead to quick ball for the backs but Jeeps were only able to turn it into three points from a Patrick Smith penalty in the 20th minute.

From there both teams fought hard but neither side could add points on the scoreboard. Stand-in Wests flyhalf Benfield Lainchbury almost brought some joy for the strong Wests faithful when he brilliantly regathered his own chip kick just over halfway but he was taken down by GPS fullback Josh Logan and the half finished at 13-0 to GPS.

Any hopes of a Wests comeback were quickly extinguished when Josh Logan crossed the line two minutes into the second half following some brilliant work from Smith who ran at his defender and then offloaded in the tackle to the supporting Logan.

Murphy then completed his hat trick when he scored following several phases of attack close to the line.

Wests were able to put some of their own points on the board not long after when Devyn Smith scored in the corner after they had several phases of their own close to the GPS line. 

Wests got a second try in the second half through their captain Nick Gregorski when they barraged over again but not before GPS had scored once more through Byron Roberts.

With the game well and truly over Todd Winkley put the finishing touches on the win with a try right on fulltime.

Wests Coach Rob Murdoch said he was delighted with his team's effort considering the circumstances of the defeat.

"We've had a really tough couple of weeks through injury and illness," Murdoch said.

"I thought our guys did a really good job and I'm very proud of them.

"They never gave up and they got rewarded with a couple of good tries."

Murdoch said the one disappointing aspect of his team's performance was their inability to carry out the game plan of direct football.

"We sort of played into their hands by going lateral," he said.

"We made ourselves easy targets."

For GPS coach Matt Pini it was a good win, topped off by the bonus point.

"It was very good to get the bonus point and we strung some good pieces of play together," Pini said.

"We did some little bits and pieces which you'd like to be a little bit crisper but at the end of the day we got a good win and a bonus point."

The win leaves GPS in the hunt for a finals berth while Wests remain second from bottom.

GPS 41 (G. Murphy 3, J. Logan, B. Roberts, T. Winkley tries; P. Smith 3, J. Milne cons; P. Smith pen) def. West Brisbane 12 (D. Smith, N. Gregorski tries; B. Lainchbury con).
  
 By Michael Cormack