Jurrah, who received special consideration from the AFL to be available for selection in the Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts, was also looked at closely by Richmond and North Melbourne.
It is understood Jurrah was in the mix for Richmond's No.6 selection had the Tigers not decided to select West Coast great Ben Cousins.
Still, Prendergast was not prepared to let Jurrah slip through to the Rookie Draft. At worst, he didn't think the indigenous talent would last slip past pick No.9 (North Melbourne).
"We thought: 'What if Richmond took him?' He also did two days training at North Melbourne [last week], so you just never know" he told melbournefc.com.au.
"We're really excited to get him in. He's got some absolutely outstanding athletic ability. He's a good kick, he's quick and he can mark it. He's 193cm and can really jump. He's got some freakish indigenous athleticism."
Jurrah, a tall forward, from Yuendumu (almost 300km north-west of Alice Springs) plays mostly in the Central Australia Football League but also played four matches with Collingwood in the VFL this year.
Last Sunday, he kicked five goals for Nightcliff in the Northern Territory Football League as Prendergast watched on. The NTFL is played in the summer months.
"I flew to Sydney on Saturday night in the [Melbourne] storms, then to Darwin and then via Adelaide yesterday, so it was not the trip I wanted at the end of a heavy [recruiting] campaign," Prendergast said with a laugh.
Prendergast was also pleased to claim midfielders Jordie McKenzie (Geelong Falcons) and Rhys Healey (Bendigo Pioneers) in the rookie draft.
He praised McKenzie's ability to come back from hip surgery which forced him out of the game in 2007.
"You know he's a kid who is going to get the best out of himself. The hardship he's gone through to come back from those operations are a testament to his attitude to play the game," Prendergast said.
"He's run with the likes of Mitch Banner, Nick Suban, Luke Shuey and even Jack Watts, when he went into the midfield."
Prendergast said Healey was a proven big-game performer having been best-on-ground in Eaglehawk's grand final two years ago.
"And he's played some outstanding footy for the Bendigo Pioneers this year," he said.
"He has elite endurance, is good overhead and is a goalkicking midfielder. He's also a powerful tackler."
Prendergast said Daniel Hughes had been drafted back onto Melbourne's rookie list – he was previously on it in 2006-07 – after injury sidelined him in 2008.
"Danny was part of our rookie list, but he's got himself right after some hip operations and he's been doing the pre-season. He has a bit of X-factor about him, he said.
Prendergast said Melbourne had targeted specific types of players in this year's drafting period.
"Most of our blokes that we've drafted have performed in big games, when they have performed under the pump. That was a key component of what we've got into the club," he said.
"We hope that brings a hard culture into the footy club."
