University of Otago scientists hope to reveal some of Carisbrook's secrets by running DNA tests on soil taken from the soon-to-be-demolished ground.
Dr Andrew Cridge, of the Department of Biochemistry, said the project was part of the ''Katoa New Zealand'' initiative aimed at educating high school pupils and increasing knowledge of soil sites around the country by testing for bacteria DNA.
''You can build up a picture of how the environment affects the bacteria and how the human impact also affects the bacteria,'' Dr Cridge said.
Carisbrook represented a ''unique'' opportunity because it had been a sports field for such a long time.
''There has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears on Carisbrook and whether that has affected the bacteria would be quite interesting [to find out].''
With Carisbrook being demolished, it also represented the ''last chance'' to examine the soil.
As part of the project, dirt from the halfway and try lines had been recovered and the samples would be sequenced.
He estimated, because of the uniqueness of the site, about 30% of the bacteria discovered at Carisbrook would be new to science.
Otago Boys' High School and correspondence pupils had taken part in the project and it was hoped the experience would get them ''excited'' about science and interested in pursuing careers in the field.
Other sites' dirt examined as part of the project included Hot Water Beach in Coromandel.
