Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett claims AFL umpires should be rarely seen and not heard, and are hogging the limelight from star players.

Kennett said he had "no idea" about the umpiring decisions made in Friday night's game between Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions, even though the umpires wore microphones.

He accused the on-field officials of letting the exposure get to their heads.

"It seems to me they've become the centre of attention rather than the players and the standard of play," Kennett said on Saturday before the Hawks played Port Adelaide at the MCG.

"So if you happen to be watching a telecast, as I was last night, I heard more from the umpires than I did from the commentators and I was certainly distracted by their comments as I tried to watch the game.

"I find it terribly frustrating.

"I come along to a game of football and I want to see a good display of free-flowing football with the umpires there almost in the background as adjudicators, with a light hand on the tiller.

"I think they're now the sails and the hulls and the tiller and in fact many of the players are there only to add support to the umpires."

Kennett said the constant changes to rules and interpretations often left him in a state of confusion.

He also said there were some players who did not get protection they deserved.

Lions coach Michael Voss on Friday night took exception to what he clearly thought was heavy-handed treatment of his star forwards Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw.

Voss said he would seek clarification from umpires boss Jeff Gieschen about what defenders could do against forwards.

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse was also angry, about a 50-metre penalty awarded to the Lions after the quarter-time siren, which gifted a goal to Troy Selwood.

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