Disturbed by the downturn in the mining sector, the minerals magnate sought to weed out new ventures and Sage’s International Goldfields has acquired an 85 per cent interest in a Uruguayan pharmaceutical biosciences player, Winter Garden Biosciences, which manufactures medical grade marijuana for worldwide distribution.

“It’s legal, we have taken the THC out, and everybody in the world wants it," Sage said.

"We are the only ones in the world with the medical marijuana without the THC, which is the mind altering part of the plant, and we are very excited.

“Mining is proving very challenging at the moment, so it’s a case of diversify or die.

"People in chronic pain, whether it's common back pain or pain caused by cancer, will be able to stick a patch on and it will last from six to eight hours. They won't be smoking it.

“A UN scientist patented it, and we are off and running and we will export from Uruguay by next May.”

With Glory heading to AAMI Park to face Melbourne Victory in Saturday night’s FFA Cup final, Sage has few qualms over his beloved the club being forced to play its second successive domestic decider outside its home state.

He insisted that Glory’s poor home attendances left Football Federation Australia with little choice but to take the showpiece to Melbourne.

“I was disappointed in a crowd of only 7,700 for our last home game against Adelaide United … and if the fans don't turn up the FFA says they don’t deserve it," he added.

"To get that figure, when we expected at least 10,000, then there’s no excuse when Victory can get a sell-out crowd of 26,000 at AAMI Park to host the final.

"I can’t argue with that … what I can say to counter that argument under the criteria FFA is operating?

"In the end, it’s not a fair criteria but it’s all about making money and not about fairness of the competition.

"Under the criteria that exist today, we will probably never get to host an FFA Cup final.

"That’s why two legs would be the fairest system …but I can't really argue because, as I have said, the fans did it to themselves."

Sage counters the general consensus that Glory will be helpless against Victory's armoury of attacking flair.

"We were Melbourne’s bogey team last year … they didn’t beat us all year and didn't get to play us in the grand final because of the salary cap (breaches which saw Glory expelled from the finals)

"So we’ll go on our record against Victory. A lot of the players feel the same way that they should have been the team we faced in the grand final and it’s going to be very hard fought match.”