Macaffer earned plaudits for the way he limited Cotchin's impact, keeping the Tigers skipper to just 13 disposals in the Magpies' 38-point victory.
It was Cotchin's lowest possession count since round 16, 2010.
"We know there's been taggers in the game for donkey's years but, just at times, I thought I was being held illegally," Cotchin told Channel 7's Game Day program on Sunday.
"But the reality is there's three umpires out there, they're doing the best they can and the onus is on myself to win the footy and to have my teammates helping me out."
Injured vice-captain Brett Deledio was also on the panel and believed the Tigers needed to do more to help Cotchin against the pressure he faces from the opposition.
"It's something we've been aware of for quite a few years. The hardest thing is you can't really hurt anyone, you've just got to get in the way and maybe wrestle them and get them on the ground, so that Trent can get away and get a few kicks," Deledio said.
"It's just something we've got to be better at as a side to really get our star players into the game."
Macaffer admitted to AFL.com.au on Friday night that his tactics would not win favour with everyone.
"It's difficult. I got pinged for a couple out there that I thought were a bit touch and go, and thought I should've got a couple as well," he said.
AFL senior umpiring coach Hayden Kennedy said Macaffer's "bear trap" did not look good from an aesthetics point of view.
"No, not particularly, and that’s purely from an umpiring perspective," Kennedy told SEN radio on Saturday when asked whether the off-the-ball contact was umpired efficiently on Friday night.
"Umpires are instructed as soon as they see a hold, that’s where the free occurs.
"There has to be a hold."
Twitter: @AFL_BenGuthrie
