A Melbourne mother has hit out at football's "thug" culture after she and her daughter were called strippers by an ex-AFL star at a junior football function on Friday.

The Hawthorn woman, who asked not to be identified, said she was walking past the private Hawthorn Citizens Junior Football Club event at Glenferrie Hotel with her 18-year-old daughter when event MC Billy Brownless announced "here come the strippers".

The mother said the remark by the former Geelong Cats star and current Footy Show and Triple M personality was met with laughter from the event's guests.

"I nearly tripped over I was so taken aback. We were just two innocent people walking through a pub, we were completely embarrassed. I was mortified, especially for my daughter."