ARTIST, storyteller and Aboriginal elder Kathleen Wallace has created a striking painting that will form the centrepiece of a cultural ceremony to be conducted before Sunday's Melbourne-Adelaide match at TIO Traeger Park in Alice Springs.

Wallace met with Melbourne's Neville Jetta and Adelaide's Eddie Betts on Saturday, showing them a replica of the 30x30m canvas, which was transported from Melbourne to Alice Springs (via Adelaide) in six parts. 

The artwork and pre-game cultural ceremony tell the story of 'Caterpillar Dreaming', or the formation of the MacDonnell Ranges in Alice Springs. 

A curtain-raiser between two Northern Territory teams and the cultural ceremony will be streamed live on AFL.com.au from 11.40am ACST.