The Orange City quick is heading to sweltering Mackay where he'll battle rising mercury and stifling humidity as he tears in for NSW-ACT Country at the Cricket Australia Under-17 National Championship.

The Warriors' tall timber is hoping to dish some out himself too, though.

The 16-year-old has added inches to his height over the off-season - he doesn't know how many, but it's "quite a lot" - and combined with a stringent fitness program through the frigid depths of winter, McGregor's ready to unleash even more heat on Mackay.

That preparation has helped him add a bit more gas too and he said he's "very, very excited" to have a crack at the nation's best.

"I'm very keen to play and see what I can do," he said.

McGregor said he'll be ready for the strain of bowling in four group matches and if his side goes to make it, two finals as well.

"I've been on a program, bowling two to three times a week and other stuff like strength sessions and sprint training. I've been doing that since two months after last season finished."

The freezing Orange winter did play havoc with him at times, and while there wasn't much rain to dodge, the cold and the snow made it difficult.

"Sometimes you've got to work around that and change your bowling days," he said.

"I don't know [how the heat will play into it], I have played in hot weather before so I'll be used to it but keep the hydration up.

"Since I've been in the program they've done a lot of work with me to change my technique and stuff."

He's yet to nail down any concrete goals, but knows what he's there to do - and has by all accounts nailed down the fast bowler's dream by securing a spot in the slips cordon.

"My role is to bowl and I'll be fielding in the slips. I don't know but apparently I've got bucket hands," he added.

However, he isn't locked in to Orange City's slip cordon this season, either, with the young gun offered the chance to play first grade in Canberra with Ginninderra over the summer.

He said he'd yet to decide if he'd play in Orange or the nation's capital, but admitted it was both nice to be recognised outside his home town, and be offered an exciting opportunity to jump up the ranks should he take up the offer.

McGregor and his ACT-NSW Country side face Victoria Metro on Monday's opening day before pool clashes against Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania.

The nationals' finals begin the following week, on October 8.