Macaffer's close-checking of the Richmond skipper in Collingwood's 32-point win has stirred up plenty of debate.
The Magpie tagger's negating tactics were extremely effective, limiting Cotchin to just 13 touches – his lowest tally since round six, 2010.
'Caff' puts cuffs on Cotch
But the legality of Macaffer's play - he gave away five free-kicks - have been called into question.
Asked on SEN's Crunch Time if he liked Macaffer's tactics, Kennedy replied: "Not particularly, no."
"That's purely from an umpiring perspective, because we need to make sure that if any player is held when not in possession of the ball, a free-kick needs to occur."
Brisbane Lions champion Michael Voss said Macaffer's tactic of putting his arms around Cotchin needed to be stamped out by awarding a free-kick.
"[It's] ridiculous that someone is standing there not watching the ball and got their hands around [a player] but [is] not touching them," he said.
"That's been set up for him to impede his [Cotchin's] run at the football."
But Kennedy said it wasn't a free-kick until a hold actually happens.
"The umpires are instructed as soon as they see a hold, that's when the free-kick has to occur. There has to be some hold," he said.
Kennedy added the umpires had paid particular attention to holding at stoppages last Monday, during their weekend review.
He said non-controlling field umpires have been coached to get closer to ball-ups around the ground in games where there are "hard" stoppages.
"The two umpires who are not bouncing, their total focus will be on the pairs of players around the ruckmen," Kennedy said.
"We'll just keep on coaching and saying 'once there's a hold it has to be paid'."
Twitter: @TravKing_AFL
