In that year two Scotsmen employed by the Public Works Department (PWD) started an inter-section or inter-departmental soccer competition. From that competition, a decision was made to enter a team in the Port Moresby Soccer Association (PMSA). The team was called Public Works Department or PWD. PWD dominated the PMSA competition starting in 1972 to about 1978. Members of the PWD team also dominat
ed the PNG National team in that period. The late Tianum Kau one of those players also played football with the Marconi Football club in Sydney, Australia, making him perhaps the first from PNG to play professional football. In the early eighties, a decision was made to change the name of the club. The name change from PWD to Rapatona took place in 1982. The name Rapatona is derived from the name of the Local Level Government Area of Rapatona in the Manus Province, which constitutes the Rambutso, Pak, Tong and Nauna Islands. This is where some of the founding fathers of the club, such as the late David Tasion, late Alfred Daniel, Peter Tiran, and players such as Kisakiu Posman, Chalapan Kaluwin, and Maso Salaiyau, originate from. Rapatona Football Club competes in the biggest football association in PNG, Port Moresby Soccer Association (PMSA) who is affiliated (currently in suspension) to Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA). Since the Club’s inception in 1982, Rapatona has been a very consistent and prominent club in PMSA. This has been due to the quality and depth in the players and coaches of the Club.
